Jul 26, 2025 By Rick Shrum 4 min read

Martin P. Beichner Jr. has survived Vietnam, a horrific blizzard on the day of his company’s move to Southpointe and decades of dealing with the vagaries of business and industry.

For 32 years, the founder, president and CEO of AccuTrex Products Inc. has taken care of business at 112 Southpointe Blvd., where his firm became the first tenant in the mixed-use park in March 1993. And where it continues to evolve.

This week, AccuTrex, a leading provider of custom metal fabrication solutions, announced that it had received certification as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The designation is a nod to Beichner, a service-disabled veteran, and his decades of experience with the military and manufacturing.

AccuTrex’s latest certification, according to a company news release, “affirms that AccuTrex meets the federal requirements of being majority-owned and operated by a service-disabled veteran.

“While AccuTrex has long been a trusted supplier to the Department of Defense and top contractors,” this certification “enhances its ability to compete for set-aside and sole-source opportunities under the federal procurement process.”

Under Beichner’s guidance, “the company has built a reputation for quality, reliability and on-time delivery.”

This most recent certification enables the company to gain an important competitive edge over non-certified businesses in the defense and aerospace sectors in delivering precision-engineered products.

Board appointee

Jeffrey Mills of Peters Township has been appointed to the Washington County Redevelopment Authority board.

The Washington County commissioners appointed Mills to a four-year term. He also is chairman of his township’s planning commission.

Mills is an attorney with the Cozen O’Connor law firm, and focuses on real estate, commercial and corporate finance, and public-private development. He has extensive experience with tax-exempt and taxable bond financing, economic development incentives, industrial site reuse, land use planning, and public infrastructure projects.

He also is a certified public accountant and a nationally recognized member of the Red Book Bond Counsel, a distinction reserved for legal professionals with expertise in municipal securities and tax-exempt bond law.

Mills is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business.

The Redevelopment Authority focuses on community revitalization, blight removal, industrial development, and affordable housing.

84 Lumber

Christmas may be five months away, but 84 Lumber already is immersed in the holiday spirit.

The North Strabane-based company, the presenting sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree since 2022, recently announced its $100,000 sponsorship for 2025 at a public celebration in Las Vegas. The event attracted state and national leaders, community members, and partners from the forestry and conservation sectors.

Since 1970, the U.S. Forest Service has partnered with Architect of the Capitol to select a tree, known as “The People’s Tree,” to be placed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. A tree is chosen from one of the 154 national forests the Forest Service manages. This year, for the first time, it will be harvested from a site in Nevada – the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Amy Smiley, vice president of marketing at 84 Lumber, said in a statement that her company “is proud to help bring ‘The People’s Tree’ to Washington, D.C. This time-honored tradition celebrates the beauty of our nation’s forests and the communities they represent.

“As a privately held company with deep local roots, including our dedicated team and store serving the Las Vegas community, we’re proud to support something that unites people across the country in celebration and stewardship.”

UPMC award

UPMC Washington has been presented the American College of Cardiology’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry Chest Pain – Myocardial Infarction Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2025.

Only 323 hospitals nationwide received this award.

UPMC Washington said in a news release that it “was recognized for its commitment to delivering a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. It signifies that the hospital has met or exceeded ambitious performance goals by treating patients in accordance with clinical guidelines established by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.”

The hospital received the award by demonstrating “sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures.”

UPMC Washington has risen from silver status in 2023 to gold last year and to platinum in 2025.

Brook Ward, president of UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene, said in a statement: “This award is a testament to the exceptional teamwork and clinical excellence of our physicians, nurses and staff. We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to providing our patients with the highest standard of cardiac care.”