In November, Leevers Supermarkets, Inc., became a PFMA member, adding 14 Save A Lot stores from the Philadelphia area to the association.
Earlier this year, the Colorado-based Leevers Supermarkets acquired the Philadelphia stores. Leevers is a family-owned chain that also operates Save A Lots and Colorado Ranch Markets stores in Colorado. Leevers has been in business for 75 years. The acquition of Philadelphia Save A Lots essentially doubled the company’s size. Describing the last quarter of the year at High’s as busy is an understatement. Meghan Mattern, advertising and social media manager for Carroll Motor Fuels and High’s, has a packed schedule and is constantly on the road. But it’s a “busy” that she loves because—as neighborhood stores—her days are filled with events that invest in the communities they serve. High’s holds numerous fundraisers, Christmas tree lightings, breakfasts with Santa and an annual Manager Summit among other events that give back to its neighborhoods and employees. “We try really hard to create a positive culture,” Mattern said. “We put our best foot forward. Even at the corporate level, we really try to be an example.” High’s, a new PFMA member since October, is a Maryland-based convenience store chain known for its high-quality food service. Although most of its 54 stores operate in the Baltimore, Md., area, they also have locations in Mount Joy, Columbia, Lititz and Emigsville, Pa. With a history that dates back nearly 100 years, High’s first started as a Mid-Atlantic ice cream store chain that eventually evolved into convenience stores. The hand-dipped ice cream and shakes are still available in stores today, featuring popular flavors like Heritage Strawberry, Mad Cow Fudge and Butter Pecan. High’s made-from-scratch ice cream is definitely a draw for customers, Mattern said. “It’s almost nostalgic. It’s easy to build off nostalgia. Local customers look forward to the ice cream and eggnog,” she said. In fact, it’s not unusual for customers to drive a few hours with a cooler to pick up their favorite sweet treat around the holidays. Previously, High’s operated stores in the Virginia and Washington, D.C., areas, and several past customers still make the trek up.
In addition to its ice cream, High’s offers a variety of popular foods at most locations—such as hand-breaded fried chicken, craft pizzas, premium coffees, breakfast sandwiches and more—with expanded menus soon coming to all stores.Convenience stores continue raising the food service bar, and High’s is all in—they recently debuted a premium jumbo lump crab cake sandwich and a pit beef sandwich at select locations. “It’s always interesting to see what c-stores will come up with and are willing to try,” Mattern said. Beyond quality food service, High’s stands out because of its people, Mattern said. The High’s team provides friendly service with a smile. “We have a great talent acquisition team that spends a lot of time training our managers. They work very hard to empower them.” The family feel and team environment is authentic, she said, and it was a huge benefit during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. When reflecting on the challenges of the past 18 months, one of Mattern’s coworkers said, “There will always be challenges. It’s nothing we can’t overcome as a team.” “We would not have gotten through it without each other,” she added. “COVID opened our eyes to that. We really have to work as a team if we want to succeed.” Although COVID presented plenty of problems, it also provided new opportunities. Gas stations and convenience stores sometimes find it hard to shake the stigma over cleanliness issues, Mattern said. So High’s Stores took an extra step to earn a new Safe Shop Assured™ Certification—a direct results of the pandemic. C-stores can earn the certification after completing a 10-point checklist of essential safety measures. High’s Operations team worked diligently to earn the certification, Mattern said. A diverse board of retailers, suppliers and industry experts ensure that the stores are well maintained, clean and ready for customers. “We take pride in our store conditions. It’s definitely something we try hard to let our customers know.” What gets Mattern most excited is the work they accomplish for the community. One of her favorite projects is the Keep the Change Program. The round-up campaign benefits Central Pennsylvania and Maryland foodbanks. In the month of November, the program raised $13,000. “We’re thrilled with that. We’re proud of our managers for making that happen.” For more than 30 years, Carroll Fuel and now High’s raised funds for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center through an annual golf outing. This past year, the outing raised $30,000, which was then matched by the company. Mattern said High’s also contributes to the Red Cross for disaster relief, created care packages to distribute to area hospitals, supported local schools and held a friendly ice cream sundae building contest between local firefighters and police officers. This time of year, store managers look forward to hosting a variety of holiday festivities in their communities. Whether working through challenges, trying new things or collaborating with the community, Mattern said it happens because the company invests in its team and surrounding neighborhoods. It’s an environment that the customers can feel, too, and one they are happy to bring to Pennsylvania. “Family here is huge. Family is important, and our atmosphere reflects that,” Mattern said. What are your top three legislative priorities in 2022? If you follow the actions of the legislature, early 2022 will be dominated by conversations and actions around redistricting. The legislature must approve a new Congressional map, which will feature one less district after the census, and the legislative reapportionment commission will produce districts for the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives. Additionally, the budget process will start in February. Those big-ticket items are important, but they are not our only important priorities right now. We must also continue our efforts to help the commonwealth recover and rebuild from the effects of COVID-19 and the shutdowns. There is still so much to do in terms of both public health and the economic future for Pennsylvanians. Along those lines, we will continue our efforts to grow workforce opportunities. Every person deserves the opportunity to find good paying, family sustaining careers. We have shown that commitment through increasing funding for trade schools and other high performing institutions and pursuing the kinds of investment in Pennsylvania that can have a multi-generation impact. That includes, for example, the ethane cracker plant in Beaver County and a natural gas plant planned for Northeastern Pennsylvania. These are investments in our existing resources that have and will employ thousands and thousands of people. Finally, we must protect and grow the financial well-being of the commonwealth. We made significant strides in our current budget, depositing $2.5 billion in our state’s rainy day fund. It is now our responsibility to take our significant savings and help provide stabilization going forward, particularly for small businesses most impacted by the pandemic. Plus, we can be in a better position to pay down debt after years of neglect. What are the important issues facing your district? You don’t have to look very far in my district before you will find a ‘help wanted’ sign. There are many jobs available, and frankly, not enough qualified people to fill them. We have openings across trades, and employers offering family sustaining careers do not have applicants with the relevant training and certifications to do the jobs. So, it goes back to the workforce development goal; we must continue to create pathways for people to find the training that employers need. Additionally, my district is dominated by the agriculture industry—it is really the backbone of our community. Farmers of all types are concerned with meeting the federal testing requirements related to Chesapeake Bay run-off while keeping their farms in a position to prosper and support our local economy. I look back on our time in the leader’s office, where it is your job to set the legislative calendar, and I take great pride in our efforts. In that legislative session we passed 650 bills, 96% of which had bipartisan support and 64% were passed unanimously by the House. Where do you shop locally for food? We are fortunate to have countless local farm stands and markets in our community, so I try to frequent those when possible, depending on what is in season. However, you are most likely to see me doing my shopping at the Giant Food at the Buck (outside of Quarryville). It’s in the same shopping center as my District office!
What family holiday tradition can you not live without? When it comes to Christmas, we always watch A Christmas Story. Some years, we start it the night before and then have it on throughout Christmas Day. One of my kids usually tries to talk us into starting a new tradition, but it doesn’t take long before we’re all laughing and quoting our favorite parts. We also make sure to watch Die Hard, which I remind my family is a Christmas movie! What are the biggest challenges for grocers in your district? The grocers are facing the same challenges as other industries in our area; they are struggling to find staff to adequately run their businesses. It is an issue up and down the supply chain and that can be noticed when you’re walking through the stores in terms of what is on the shelves. However, the “help wanted” and “now hiring” signs are easy to see in markets of all sizes. As I mentioned, our community has a number of local produce markets and producers, so that helps us avoid some challenges consumers may see in other parts of the commonwealth, but staffing and training are still an issue. What are your biggest challenges and successes as a legislator? The challenge is the very process of how we change laws, and it’s challenging by design. It is convincing 253 lawmakers (the House and Senate combined) and the Governor that what you believe is an issue is something that truly is a problem. Once that is accomplished, you then have to convince them all over again that your idea is the best way to fix it—and that takes time, regardless of what issue you are trying to solve. As for successes, I’ve been very fortunate. I look back on our time in the leader’s office, where it is your job to set the legislative calendar, and I take great pride in our efforts. In that legislative session we passed 650 bills, 96% of which had bipartisan support and 64% were passed unanimously by the House. Those stats do not include resolutions, either. It did include things like the statewide health insurance exchange, which has turned into a major success story, cutting out-of-pocket costs down more than 5% for health care consumers. It also included an agriculture package of bills to assist our farmers, a package of bills to help recruit and retain volunteer firefighters and other first responders, and most recently I am very proud of our efforts to make the largest deposit in the history of our state’s rainy day fund, a decision that looks more prudent as time goes on and we get a better idea of what challenges we may face in the years to come. What is your favorite food or meal to cook? My favorite thing to cook is actually something I bake. I make my mother’s, completely from scratch, homemade chocolate zucchini cake. She made it for us as kids and it’s just so dense, moist and delicious it’s a big hit in our house. I also love making breakfast. I’ll get up early and make omelets, bacon and pancakes. And I love spending time with my grill—firing off steaks and burgers. What do you like to do for fun? I try to get outside as much as possible. Hiking and backpacking or riding mountain bikes. In the past few years, I’ve also taken up CrossFit. It’s very early mornings, but I love the challenge and the competition. Along those lines, when I’m healthy enough I love to compete in triathlons and running races. Two retail members and one associate member have joined PFMA since September.
High’s Stores and Carroll Motor Fuel is a convenience store headquartered in Baltimore, Md., with several locations in southern Pennsylvania. The chain joined PFMA as a retail member in September. The High’s brand began as a Mid-Atlantic ice cream store chain in 1928, growing to become one of the world’s most popular ice cream store chains. Carroll Independent Fuel Company acquired the chain in 2012. Today, it operates 54 convenience stores with more than 500 employees. Based in Luzerne County, Pantryquik is another new convenience store chain that joined PFMA as a retail member. Pantryquick offers drinks, snacks, fast food and gas. In October, Westfield Egg Farm joined PFMA as an associate member. Westfield Egg Farm is a local Pennsylvania farm that specializes in eggs from cage-free hens. They are proud to be one of the certified, humane free-range farms chosen by Nature’s Yoke to provide healthy, organic eggs. The year Babe Ruth made headlines for breaking his third home run record, Bill and Salie Utz were preparing to knock it out of the park in the snack world. One hundred years ago in a small-town kitchen in Hanover, Pa., Bill and Salie Utz made some simple changes to a household favorite that created a modern snacking empire. They believed potato chips should be made from clean, simple ingredients and that they should be minimally processed to bring out the natural flavor of farm-fresh potatoes. With a $300 initial investment, they laid the groundwork for today’s Utz Brands, Inc. What started as 50 pounds of potato chips per hour in their home has grown into a publicly traded, nationally loved company with numerous snack food brands under its umbrella. And among other partnerships, they happen to be the “Official Salty Snack” of Major League Baseball. Bill and Salie Utz definitely hit a home run. “We’ve had a very successful 100 years, and the last 10 years in particular have been very transformative for the company,” said Shane Chambers, EVP Chief Growth Officer at Utz Brands, Inc. “In those 10 years, we’ve grown to a $1.1 billion-plus annual sales business with 15 manufacturing facilities, 3,300 associates and an enviable portfolio of household favorite snack food brands.” The Utz potato chips that started it all remains one of the company’s most successful products. But as markets and preferences changed over the years, so did Utz’s portfolio. Utz has evolved with the needs and wants of consumers to offer a range of salty snacks including potato chips, tortilla chips, pretzels, pork rinds, cheese snacks, popcorn, mixes, salsas and dips and plenty more. With its strong foundation of fan-favorites such as Utz® Original and Ripple Potato Chips, Utz® Cheese Balls, and Zapp’s® New Orleans Kettle Style “Voodoo” Potato Chips, Utz has continually grown sales and added brands such as Good Health®, Boulder Canyon® and recently ON THE BORDER® Chips and Dips. “Utz works hard to balance efforts in its core markets along with new and/or emerging ones. We operate from a plan for each and have a very dedicated and talented team to execute our plans,” Chambers said. Utz leverages its direct store delivery and direct to warehouse distribution capabilities as well as its online, e-commerce capabilities to reach and enter new markets. Bill Blubaugh, SVP of Marketing, Utz Brands, Inc., also credits their success with a strong portfolio of brands and an accomplished team. “From humble beginnings, we are distinctly proud of our long-standing, family-oriented culture, our people who’ve made so much possible and our portfolio of craft and better-for-you snack foods that excite and delight fans every day,” he said. Even with its tremendous growth, Utz remains a multi-generational family business. There are third, fourth and fifth generation family members involved in the company today who maintain the strong foundation set by Bill and Salie Utz.
“The Rice and Lissette families, who are third and fourth generation family members and who also have fifth generation members now working at the company, do much to continue to lead and foster the longstanding culture that Bill and Salie Utz created and instilled in the foundation of the company,” Blubaugh said. “Their focus on hard work, making quality products, listening to the wants and needs of the customer and giving back to the community remain as pillars of the Utz culture today and for the future.”
It was that hard work and collaboration of many generations that led Utz to one of its biggest and most recent accomplishments: a listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol UTZ on August 31, 2020. Plenty has changed over the course of 100 years, but many aspects of the business remain the same. The company strives to treat its associates well, make high-quality snacks that appeal to generations of fans and listen to its customers and retail partners. Strong family and business values play out through Utz’ contributions and support to the communities it serves. For instance, in 2017, the Rice and Lissette families launched The Rice Family Foundation to support the education, health and well-being of families in the greater Hanover, Pa., area. “During 2020, the Rice and Lissette families went further by contributing $20 million in Utz stock to the Foundation, which will allow the Foundation to increase its annual giving by five times over prior years,” Blubaugh said. “In 2020, the foundation provided grants to 35 nonprofit organizations that are involved with mental and physical health issues, drug addition, domestic violence, food banks and more.” Even during the tumultuous 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Utz relied on its ability to stay lean and nimble to adapt to unforeseen challenges. The company’s ability to quickly change gears and leverage its online platform paid off, earning Utz “the fastest growing salty snack company in e-commerce” as measured by IRI during 20201. As the snack food giant looks to its next century, Chambers said they will continue drawing from what they’ve learned and accomplished. “We truly believe that we’ve built the foundation of a company that can continue to expand across the U.S. and delight customers from Miami to San Diego to Seattle!” Blubaugh feels Bill and Salie would be proud of the leadership of Dylan Lissette, Utz’s CEO, and the current generation that is leading the company. “We believe that Bill and Salie would be incredibly proud of the Utz culture that has endured, true to what they initially sought to create, and that our associates have been central to the success of the company.” 1 Source: IRI; Measured % dollar sales; 52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2020; E-Commerce Channel with businesses larger than $100,000.00 dollar sales. Did you catch Utz on PFMA’s Shelf Confidence podcast? Hear more about the “new normal” of snacking! What are your top three legislative priorities in 2021? One thing I want to do is help the airports and create an incentive for properties around the airports (so that) for every job they create they get some sort of tax break. It doesn’t cost us anything. If they don’t create a job, they get nothing at all. This is a bill that is in the homestretch. We did talk to the Governor’s Office and negotiated what they would support. I also have a radar bill. It can be difficult to explain, especially in a district like mine where you have small boroughs and people are crossing the street with these cars speeding by. We’ve lost a couple of people hit by vehicles in Stroudsburg Borough and in Mount Pocono. The police cannot set up their Lidar or VASCAR because you need to have visibility, and with parked cars you don’t get it. In the Mount Pocono instance, they set up outside the borough, figuring that if you are speeding there, you were speeding through the borough. That doesn’t work. I don’t want them speeding through the borough where there are pedestrians. People know that now you have to be careful because you have radar. That’s where we want them to stop and protect residents. The goal for me is to get the bill to the finish line. We’re the only state in the United States that doesn’t have radar for local police. All we want to do is slow people down in the populated areas. I have a variety of different bills, but those are my two focuses right now. I’m hoping I can get this to the finish line, too. Our seniors, especially in the growing school districts, are being taxed out of their homes. We’ve tried different plans to help seniors in a certain income bracket stay in their homes… They don’t want to leave their houses. So, raising the state sales tax a half percent, but taxing nothing else, will generate enough money to give seniors who are 65 years and older with an income of $60,000 or less about a $5,000 credit on their school taxes. We have to do something for the seniors because they are really hurting. What are the important issues facing your district? We’re doing tremendous infrastructure work right now. We’re planning for the widening of I-80, and that needs to happen. The highway was built for about 12,000 vehicles a day, and it gets as many as 78,000 a day now. Especially the Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg areas of my district, the most accidents in the whole 320-mile stretch of I-80 from New Jersey to Ohio are in those boroughs of Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg. Road improvements and safer roads are important to me. School property tax is a big issue. When you’re in growing school districts, you build buildings. And every time you build a building, the debt services goes on the backs of the people who live in those communities. School property tax is a big issue. When you’re in growing school districts, you build buildings. And every time you build a building, the debt services goes on the backs of the people who live in those communities. I’ll give you an example. Today, you build a high school and it’s about $125 million. An intermediate school is about $75 million and an elementary is about $45 million. So if you’re growing, that’s your problem. Somebody has to pay for it, it’s going to be born by the taxpayers. The last couple of years, it’s been an escape from New York and New Jersey to the Poconos. We grew by about 3,000 in the last two years, and unfortunately it came after the census was taken, so we don’t get credit for them.
Where do you shop locally for food? Giant is the closest one to me, or ShopRite. What is your favorite vacation destination? I used to have a house in Bethany Beach. The problem is, I couldn’t take the sometimes five-hour ride on a Friday night. Sunday night coming back was even worse. So I ended up selling it and buying a house in Punta Gorda, Florida, for half the price of the house in Bethany Beach. I can get a plane in either Harrisburg or Allentown. I get there in 2 hours and 5 minutes. I get off the plane, and I walk 17 minutes to the house. What are the biggest challenges for grocers in your district? Well, you’ve got a tremendous amount of competition. You’ve got Weis, ShopRite, Giant. And with those, competition actually keeps you sharp, especially when things are bad. People will check pricing and service. To me, the supermarket that shines out is the one that sticks out of the box and will do services that normally you don’t find in a supermarket. I notice they are now doing call in your order, we’ll put it together for you. Those are the types of things, especially with working families and with kids, that work much better. Whomever take that challenge and is good with what you want to see in a store—freshness, quality and service—will do well. It’s a challenging business, the supermarket business, it really is. What are your biggest challenges and successes as a legislator? I was at an event when I saw this young man take an artificial limb off, and he’s jumping on the other one. I said, “Why’d you take the limb off?” He said, “Because it’s bothering me.” I said, “Why haven’t you told your parents and returned it?” He said, “We tried, they won’t take it back.” There were no protections. And that’s a $35,000 leg. They’re not cheap. So I looked into it and saw anyone can measure for that. And yet once you have it, it’s yours. So I put a bill in and moved it to the finish line. You had to be certified, and if it didn’t fit properly the consumer is not responsible, it’s the company. Basically we’ve gotten the people out of the market who weren’t certified. That bill saved a tremendous amount of people. That young man was hurting himself even more. He was up on one leg, and he was hurting his body. That was, for me, a challenge. Then, when you buy a house and you sell a piece of real estate, there’s a real estate tax that’s collected at closing: it’s 2 percent of the sales. It’s collected then it’s given to the county. The county disperses those dollars. One percent goes to the state, a half percent goes to the school district and a half percent goes to the local municipality. Quite often, the state checks those numbers and finds they didn’t collect enough taxes. So, what the state would do is go after that 1 percent. Once the state collects their money, they send a letter to the county that there are more taxes due. But there’s a two-year window to collect your money, and many times the municipality and school district never receive it. What my bill does is when the state makes a determination that there weren’t enough taxes collected, they collect the full 2 percent. Instead of sending a letter to the county, they send 1 percent back to the county for the county to distribute to the school district and local municipality. … It’s reciprocal. If there is a problem, the state will collect. And that has meant big money in my county, in many counties, especially when you have a tremendous amount of real estate being sold. It saved tax payers dollars. I moved the property tax bill twice to the finish line—moved it out of the house—but the senate didn’t take it up. This is something I want to see, and I’ll keep working on it, to get school property taxes addressed, especially in the growing areas. What is your favorite food or meal to cook? Lasagna! I make a mean lasagna. I take sausage meat and chopped meat and mix it together, and it gives it a great taste. I do it just like my mom did. My mom never put anything down (in a recipe), but I always watched her. One of the most important things with lasagna is Locatelli cheese on every layer. What do you like to do for fun? You know, I’m blessed! My wife’s a baseball fan, I’m a baseball fan. We go to as many games as we can. This particular year, we were down in Florida and the Mets were down there. We went to the whole series. And the prices were half that of the prices in New York. The other thing my wife and I enjoy is going to see the grandkids play. My granddaughter will be 9 shortly, and my grandson will be 11. One plays baseball and football, and he is so fast. My granddaughter plays soccer, she’s five years ahead of her time. She is amazing… And they’re the two oldest, we’ll see what the younger ones do. Both very athletic and bright! You know what? It’s all about family. The concept is simple enough. Globally, up to 40 percent of usable food is wasted a day. And yet, one in seven people don’t have enough to eat. So, connect the food to the people. Logistically, it’s a little trickier. That’s where the Pittsburgh- based nonprofits 412 Food Rescue and Food Rescue Hero swoop in. “Good food belongs to people, not landfills,” said David Primm, head of partnerships and growth with 412 Food Rescue. Started in Pittsburgh’s 412 area code about six years ago, this PFMA associate member works to get usable, perishable food items to its community. “We’re preventing perfectly good food from going to waste and redirecting that to people who are food insecure,” Primm said. The best part—food retailers are in a perfect position to help. “Nearly half of the food that’s wasted is actually wasted at consumer-facing businesses. That’s your members, that’s grocery stores and other retail outlets, it’s restaurants and institutions,” said Jennifer England, senior director of partner success. “We make sure that food gets to people who need it by leveraging our technology to reach out to volunteers so they can take it to where it needs to go.” 412 Food Rescue and Food Rescue Hero make this process easy for their partners, in part, thanks to well-designed technology. Food rescue can be labor intensive without the right tools, England said. With such a highly distributed network, it’s inefficient to schedule truck pickups for small quantity donations at multiple locations. Fortunately, England said the organization’s cofounder has a background in tech startup and created the Food Rescue Hero app. This purpose-driven technology makes it easy to connect food retailers, volunteers and community members in need. A food recover program using 412 Food Rescue’s technology and operations has no downside. There’s no value to food in the garbage. “We have over 12,000 volunteers in our network, and by using our technology, we can let them know, ‘Hey, there’s food available at this grocery store that needs to go to this low-income housing site, can you pick it up?’” she said.
That technology allows them to increase their impact. 412 Food Rescue generally covers the 412 Pittsburgh and Allegheny County area code. By using the Food Rescue Hero app, they are able to extend their reach and work with 13 cities in the U.S. and Canada, three of which cover new service areas in Pennsylvania. The organization also is very agile, working hard to keep the food rescue process simple. Instead of telling partners they have to bend to the schedule of 412 Food Rescue, England said they ask donors what works best for them. “We want to serve our partners whether it’s our food donors, our nonprofit partners or our volunteers. We want to meet our partners where they need us.” As food insecurity intensified over the course of the pandemic, the nonprofit shifted and evolved its operations. Access to good food became more important than ever. Just as many consumers relied on grocery delivery, 412 Food Rescue and Food Rescue Hero began making home deliveries. This change provided a way to get quality food to the most vulnerable populations. In its sixth year of operation, Primm said they’ve reached a major milestone. “We just hit that 20-million-pound mark here in our region. That’s through the great effort and support of our food donors and a lot of the PFMA members.” One PFMA sponsor and member, Giant Eagle, joined 412 Food Rescue as a food donor in 2019. They already have recovered 2 million pounds of food. Primm and England have heard many myths and misconceptions surrounding food donation. Some businesses think they have no food to donate. Others fear a lawsuit from potentially getting someone sick. And some donors have been burned before from volunteer no-shows. That is where 412 Food Rescue can provide their expertise on everything from food preparation to tracking donation pickups and dropoffs to laws that protect food donors. Primm said one of the most common misconceptions about food donation is that potential food donors don’t realize how much food they are able to donate. When 412 Food Rescue consults with food retailers, the retailers often are surprised to hear the results. Recently, when Primm approached a PFMA member about food donation, they explained they had nothing to provide. After speaking with the produce and baking managers, he helped the store identify items that could be donated. Within two weeks, that store donated 3,500 pounds of food, which equates to 3,000 meals. The retailer saved usable food from being wasted, provided nutritious food to those in need and gained financial benefits from the donation through tax incentives. “There is zero value in wasted food,” Primm said, “but together, working with your members and other food donor partners, we’re able to create this value that impacts the entire community.” England encourages anyone who remains on the fence about food donation to try it firsthand as a volunteer by downloading the Food Rescue Hero app. “A food recovery program using 412 Food Rescue’s technology and operations has no downside,” England said. “There’s no value to food in the garbage. It’s a win-win-win to donate food." What are your top three legislative priorities in 2021? My top priority remains closing Pennsylvania’s digital divide by bringing high-speed broadband internet to every home across the Commonwealth. I’m also focused on protecting our energy jobs in the coal and gas industries and fixing our broken property tax system so we can fairly fund education. What are the important issues facing your district? As highlighted in the most recent Census data, the rural and industrial areas of Pennsylvania are losing population. It’s imperative that we find a solution to grow our tax base and keep people here with good paying, family sustaining jobs. We can do that by investing in our infrastructure, expanding broadband service and running new water and sewer lines to keep the next generation here in older portions of the Commonwealth that once relied heavily on the coal and steel industries. It starts with keeping the coal and steel jobs we still have, and then diversifying our economy to include new business growth. Where do you shop locally for food? My family has shopped at the locally owned Giant Eagle in Dry Tavern, Greene County, for many years. The Throckmorton family owns two Giant Eagle’s in my district, and my family sometimes makes a stop several times a week to pick up what we need. I grew up in the Dry Tavern community and having this grocery store here is a major asset to all of us. What is your favorite vacation destination? The beach! My husband Jack and I love to take our kids and grandkids to the Carolinas in the summer for a family vacation. There is nothing more relaxing than a quiet afternoon listening to the waves and a giggle or two from the grandkids. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have canceled our vacations, but we are itching to get back to the water next year. I’m proud to say I’m a middle-of-the-road legislator that works with both sides of the aisle on any issue. What are the biggest challenges for grocers in your district? The grocery store owners are quick to tell you that they need employees. Most people know that it has been difficult for many small businesses to find employees to run their stores over the last several months. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, grocery stores were slammed as restaurants closed and people were afraid to dine out. Those essential workers are now facing fatigue and burn-out, and there isn’t a line of workers waiting to relieve them. I’m hopeful, as we continue to conquer the pandemic and the economy recovers, that people will be looking for work and can fill these roles.
What are your biggest challenges and successes as a legislator? I have several achievements of which I’m proud, but I’m particularly proud of my legislation for corrections officers. My district contains two state prisons that employ thousands of corrections officers and staff. On a tour of SCI-Fayette, the corrections officers asked me to get them a pepper spray mechanism to combat violent prisoners. We passed legislation that gave those officers that spray and they say it’s made their jobs safer, protected them, and curbed violence inside the walls. The biggest challenge remains the partisan politics that haunt the Capitol. I’m proud to say I’m a middle-of-the-road legislator that works with both sides of the aisle on any issue. Too often, my colleagues get caught up in talking points, speeches and what plays best on social media for them back home. I wish we could turn the cameras off and just get some work done. That’s what the people who elected us sent us here to do. What is your favorite food or meal to cook? My husband Jack is the cook in our house. The man can whip up just about anything, but his chicken and noodles from scratch are to die for! I’m thankful that with my schedule, he makes sure there is dinner on the table. I love to make my mother’s homemade bun recipe. You can use those buns with just about anything. At Christmas time, the family can’t wait for my peanut butter balls and nut rolls. What do you like to do for fun? We live on my husband’s century-old family farm. Our daughters have built houses on the property and have raised their kids there. We just love having them so close, spending time with them and our grandchildren whether in the barn or in the pool. PFMA welcomes three associate members and one retail member.
Joining in June as an associate member, Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies is a bipartisan lobbying firm that provides government solutions from the local to the federal level. Their experts know how to work with modern political institutions. They steer clients to success by staying informed, practical and persuasive. Stephen Gould Corporation began as a family-owned business 80 years ago, and today is the largest independent custom product and packaging solutions provider in the U.S. The company provides personalized service and draws from its global network with 40 locations in six countries. Stephen Gould, an associate member since June, excels in design, production and logistics and connects networks of vendors, designers and engineers to bring each each project to life. Pennsylvania-based Victory Brewing Company also joined as an associate member in June. What started as a hobby between two friends has led to 25 years in the craft brewing industry. This year, Victory celebrates its growth as a world-renowned craft brewery and the second-largest craft brand family in Pennsylvania. Scenic Ridge Foods LLC joined PFMA as a retail member in May. Located in Loganton near Lock Haven, Pa., Scenic Ridge opened in 2012, and in 2017, moved to its current location in an old elementary school building. The family-owned store offers groceries, snacks and bulk foods. Specialities include locally made products like yogurts, raw milk and ice cream; a bakery with fresh breads, sticky buns, pies and more; discount grocery items; and a full deli. Also in the building is a fresh donut shop. What are your three legislative priorities in 2021? Milk dating SB434 will put PA milk/dairy farms on the same playing field as surrounding states; removing PPE from the Farm show building so we can use the building once again for it’s intended use—to showcase our No. 1 industry in Pennsylvania; making sure that agriculture does not get cut in our budget. What are the important issues facing your district? Workforce shortage, revenue shortage and lack of tourism. Where do you shop locally for food? I have a grocery store around the corner from my house; I use it as a convenience store. I also have a produce stand nearby to get fruits and vegetables. What is your favorite vacation destination? I am very adventurous, so I like going many different places. One of my favorite places is at the bay on my boat, crabbing and fishing. What are the biggest challenges for grocers in your district? Right now, I would say recruiting and retaining employees. What are your biggest challenges and successes as a legislator? The biggest challenge is getting the press to get it right. My biggest success is getting HB 544 signed into law (landowner liability protection act) Act 98. What is your favorite food or meal to cook? I love to make pasta dishes inside, but I equally enjoy flipping steaks on the grill. What do you like to do for fun? I am an aviator. Flying to destinations for golf, fishing, hunting, etc., is definitely one of my favorite pastimes. |
AuthorErica Logsdon, director of communications and public relations Archives
February 2024
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