Welcome to Penn-Northwest Development Corporation, your steadfast partner in business development and expansion.
Established in 1985, we have been the cornerstone of economic revitalization in Mercer County, fostering a thriving business landscape amidst evolving economic dynamics.
At the heart of Penn-Northwest Development Corporation is an unwavering love for the Mercer County community.
Our dedication extends beyond just business growth to nurturing a vibrant, prosperous environment where both enterprises and individuals can flourish.
With every project we undertake, we aim to bolster the communal fabric, ensuring that the economic progress we foster benefits every member of our cherished community.
Our endeavors are rooted in a deep-seated commitment to see Mercer County thrive, reflecting a harmonious blend of economic vitality and communal well-being.
Brad Gosser
Chairman
David Grande
Vice Chair
Commissioner Ann Coleman
Second Vice Chair
Sarah Palmer
Treasurer
Robert Donatelli
Secretary
Rod Wilt
Executive Director
Brad Mantzell
Immediate Past Chair
Coleman, Ann ('25)(Public)
Mercer Co. Board of Commissioners
Donatelli, Robert ('26)(P)
3rd term ends 2026
President
Evanoff, Charles, A. ('26)(P/U)
1st term ends 2026
Regional External Affairs Consultant
Feeney, Tim ('26)(P)
1st term ends 2026
General Manager
Garrow, George, MD ('27)(NP)
1st term ends 2027
Chief Executive Officer
George, David ('27)(P)
1st term ends 2027
President/CEO
Glenn, Stacey ('27)(P)
2nd term ends 2027
Director of Sales
Local Industry/Future Leaders Committee Chair
Gosser, Brad ('26)(NP)
3rd term ends 2026
Executive Director
Grande, David ('25)(P)
3rd term ends 2025
Vice President, Commercial Banking
Huston, Samuel ('27)(P)
3rd term ends 2027
Mahoning Valley Business Banking Market Manager,
Community President SVP
Kaper, Tony ('25)(P)
1st term ends 2025
Vice President of Operations
Koble, Nathan ('26)(P/U)
1st term ends 2026
Senior Government Affairs Representative
Krieder, Frank ('27)(P)
1st term ends 2027
Regional President
Lenhart, Zachary ('25)
2nd term ends 2025
Vice President, Operations
Mantzell, Brad ('25)(P)
2nd term ends 2025
Vice President/Certified Risk Architect
Miller, Tony ('27)(NP)
3rd term ends 2027
Administrative Director
Palmer, Sarah ('25)(P)
1st term ends 2025
SVP, Chief Lending Officer
Financial Committee Chair
Paul, Carol ('25)(P/U)
1st term ends 2025
Plant Manager, II
Government Relations Chair
Saeler, Bryan J. ('26)(P)
1st term ends 2026
Senior Project Manager/Estimator
Sites Committee Chair
Taborek, Tom ('26)(P)
1st term ends 2026
VP Human Resources
Traverso, Susan Ph.D. ('25)(NP)
2nd term ends 2025
President
Governance Committee Chair
Vigna, Niki ('27)(P)
2nd term ends 2027
Senior Energy Advisor
Membership Committee Chair
Faulconbridge, Kenneth
Vice President, Commercial Lending
Feeney, James J.
Free, Scott
Treasurer
Grasso, James
President & CEO
Gurgovits, Stephen J.
Jazwinski, Robert C.
President
Kachulis, Lew G.
Chief Executive Officer
Kalmanek, Scott
Chief Financial Officer
Mastrian, John T.
O’Brien, Paul
President
Perrine, William G.
Riley, Douglas W.
Chairman
Thigpen, John
President
Thomas, Doug
President
Winner, Donna
Chair
Roetzel & Andress
Attorney Richard Epstein
Black, Bashor & Porsch, LLP
Alice F. Mattocks, CPA, CGMA
Brenda McCall, Staff Accountant
McGill, Power, Bell & Associates, LLP
Bruce A. Lawrence, CPA & Partner
Rod brings over three decades of diverse experience to his role as Executive Director of Penn-Northwest, drawing from his background in government, finance, and real estate.
A local to Mercer County with education from Greenville High School and Thiel College, he spent his early career at financial institutions including First National Bank in Hermitage, PA, and served five terms in the PA House of Representatives.
Since 2008, he has been involved in the acquisition and management of over 3,500 multi-family apartment units. Rod also brings to PNDC six years of experience in legislative outreach, issues education and government relations from his experience working with several clients in the oil & gas, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries, as well as serving as the Chair of the Thiel College Board of Trustees.
Gary Dovey is a senior development, recruitment, and land planning executive with a successful 15-year record of assisting communities by attracting and financing industries that create family-wage sustaining jobs.
Gary has served with communities and businesses in the counties of Butler, Clearfield, Crawford, Jefferson, Mercer and Venango in Pennsylvania. He excels in land planning and recruitment strategies, expanding industries and building/filling industrial parks.
Gary holds a BS in Public Administration from Slippery Rock University and stands ready to meet your expansion/relocation needs. He looks forward to helping your business grow in Mercer County.
Kerri has joined the Penn-Northwest Development Corporation team as Office Administrator and Project Coordinator, bringing over two decades of experience from her family's manufacturing business in Reynolds Industrial Park.
Her expertise spans office administration, project management, and collaborative endeavors with many of PNDC’s members and industry sectors.
Before her tenure in the family business, Kerri honed her customer engagement and sales skills at Winner International, interacting with clients daily and gaining essential experience in customer relations.
Jake Rickert is a home grown local, born and raised in Greenville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Penn-State Shenango with a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications.
Prior to Penn-Northwest, Jake served in the United States Army for four years. He currently services in the National Guard as a Staff Sergeant for an Infantry Company. His knowledge of external and internal communications, strategic analysis, and public relations assists in his efforts towards workforce development, the Future Leaders, and the revitalization of Mercer County.
He plans to continue his education through federal and state level grant writing courses. Jake is excited to begin his career in economic development and looks forward to helping Mercer County flourish with the staff at Penn-Northwest!
Ligaya Kurelko was born and raised in Mercer County, Pennsylvania and graduated from Hickory High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications and obtained certifications in Diversity Studies and International Cultures Studies at Penn-State University, Shenango Campus. Ligaya worked in healthcare and as a veterinary assistant during her time in college.
Her knowledge of internal and external communications, strategic planning, marketing, and public relations assists in her efforts towards the workforce development of Mercer County. She plans on furthering her education in Corporate Communications to enhance and develop her knowledge in creating innovative ways to support our community.
Penn-Northwest Development Corporation was born out of a necessity to confront and overcome the economic challenges faced by Mercer County. Witnessing the effects of industrial downturns and the need for sustainable economic revitalization, our mission is clear: to proactively address these challenges with robust solutions.
We are deeply invested in Mercer County's prosperity, not merely because it is our home, but because we believe in the potential and resilience of its people. Our commitment to economic development is, at its core, a commitment to the community's future—fueling growth, opportunity, and a better quality of life for every resident.
Credit: Clever Marketing
Since the launch of their "Make it Mercer!" campaign, we've generated over $280 million in capital investment in the county.
Our Business Action Team (B.A.T.) at leads the charge in supporting Mercer County's economic development with focused assistance and training, targeting new industry recruitment, entrepreneurship, and workforce development for immediate and long-term community goals.
Each year, we prepare a Program of Work, carefully designed with very specific, measurable goals and objectives to help us execute the strategies needed to increase the prosperity of Mercer County. This plan also gives us the framework for providing our Board, membership, stakeholders, and the community with quantifiable results related to the various goals set forth.
Mercer County is home to a plethora of employers across various industries, and we provide essential connections to this rich network, facilitating growth and opportunity for businesses in the region.
The Homegrown Initiative, sponsored by Penn-Northwest Development Corporation's Future Leaders, comprises young professionals committed to enhancing their community. Their aim is to empower young adults with local resources, leveraging connections with businesses and educational institutions to create pathways for community members to access opportunities within our area.
MCIDA mainly issues tax-exempt bonds to facilitate low-interest loans for businesses, essentially acting as a conduit. These funds can be used by eligible small manufacturers and non-profit 501(c)(3) corporations to finance land, buildings, and new machinery.
The Mercer County Innovation Fund (MCIF) is a partnership between Penn-Northwest Development Corporation and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA to provide funding to tech-based start-ups and small, existing manufacturers located in Mercer County that are in the process of developing a new product or process.
The purpose of this report is to communicate to our membership and the public how Penn-Northwest performed in administering the agency’s Program of Work (POW) for economic development initiatives in Mercer County. This report includes information about the companies that received support directly from Penn-Northwest in conjunction with our many partners that make up the Improvement Movement Team.
Click here to view.PNDC understands what businesses - bother large and small - need to succeed in our area. We have called Mercer County our home for over 100 years now and we will continue to rely on and partner with PNDC.