Business notebook: Kotula joining state chamber board
Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, has been selected for the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
The appointment should enhance Washington County’s impact in statewide business and economic development discussions.
As a board member, Kotula will join business leaders statewide to help set policies that affect employers and communities.
Kotula said in a statement: “This appointment ensures that the interests of our local employers and communities are heard at the statewide level as we work together to grow jobs and investment in Pennsylvania.”
Kotula told the newspaper that the county chamber “is an active partner with the PA chamber and has worked with them to promote pro-business policies to encourage business growth.” across the state.
“I am looking forward to becoming even more active to foster opportunities not only for our county, but across the state.”
New on board
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) announced Wednesday the appointments of four new board members. They are:
Darrek Harshberger, associate director of Student Development and Engagement at the California campus of Pennsylvania Western University. Harshberger has undergraduate and graduate degrees from PennWest. He previously served on the PASSHE Board of Governors and in student government, and “values the importance of maintaining the State System to ensure higher education is affordable and attainable.
Andre Campbell, a wealth adviser with Taurus Wealth Management, based in Harrisburg, which provides financial, estate and investment planning services. He also is involved in his community, through service on nonprofit boards and the Audit Committee for the City of Harrisburg.
Abigail Hancox, a 2024 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, who is pursuing master’s degrees in public affairs and student affairs in higher education at IUP, where she also works as an Academic Success Associate.
Justine Page, who “has vast industry and corporate financial experience that supports her role as a corporate board member. She was the chief financial officer of Integrated Circuit Systems Inc. until her retirement in 2005, and has since served on corporate and charitable boards.
Blackouts possible
A recent weekly newsletter from the Center for Energy Policy at Washington & Jefferson College reported that “while all areas of the U.S. are expected to have adequate power supplies this winter under normal conditions, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. warned that several regions could face shortfall risks and blackouts during more extreme weather events.
NERC, which oversees the security and reliability of the nation’s electric grid, recently released its annual winter reliability assessment, which said “two trends affecting the electric supply are rising demand for electricity coupled with the retirement of fossil-fuel generation and growth in battery resources.
CEPM added that “much of the surging increase in demand is due to the growth of power-hungry data centers . . . and “several of the areas that could face shortfalls are seeing a lot of data center development.”