Outside Erie

I don’t know which is worse news, that GE Transportation CEO John Dineen has (predictably) been shipped off to his next position, or that his successor is actually younger than I am.
General Electric Co. announced that Dineen is leaving its Erie-based transportation unit to become the president and CEO of GE Healthcare in London.
He will […]

Thanks to Julio Reyes for pointing out the Erie Times-News story on the departure of Monica Brower.
Brower, as many of you might know, has been working for the Economic Development Corp. of Erie County for the past 10 years — most recently as its chief executive officer. She is leaving the organization to take a […]

In a move that is reflective of just how much Erie’s economy has changed, the Manufacturers’ Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania will no longer be simply the Manufacturers’ Association.
The group just sent out a notice saying that, effective tomorrow, it will have a new name.
It will be called the Manufacturer & Business Association — a move […]

Dennis Weed at ErieBlogs pointed out over the weekend that the Erie Water Works has a newly redesigned Web site, which includes a previously undiscussed nugget of info that had escaped my notice.
Erie Water Works has an economic development policy aimed at helping make Erie more attractive to businesses that use a lot of water.
Particularly […]

Is Erie doing enough to market its accessibility to fresh water to businesses?
Economic development officials are attempting to answer that question — working on an initiative to research whether there are industrial sectors that need fresh water accessibility for their success. If so, they hope to begin marketing Erie as a city where they can […]

Why would a locomotive manufacturing company that has a presence in Erie choose not to build its first manufacturing facility in Erie?
Did the locals drop the ball? Did the company, Railpower Technologies, get a sweeter deal elsewhere?
I spoke with some folks in Erie’s business community on Monday about Railpower’s decision to build a locomotive manufacturing […]

Erie native Gretchen Gierach is the author of a new study about aspirin reducing the risk of breast cancer.
Her husband, fellow Erie native Andy Benson, sent me a note last night spotlighting the accomplishment — and wondering why such discoveries aren’t happening in his hometown.
Here’s some of what he had to say.

My wife Gretchen and […]

Erie’s top 10 employers (according to the state’s Center for Workforce Information and Analysis):

GE Transportation
Hamot Medical Center
Erie Indemnity Company
Saint Vincent Health Center
Wal-Mart
Erie City School District
Erie County
Millcreek School District
Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Center
Plastek Management Group

A few things stand out here:

There are only two manufacturing companies
After the top four employers, the list is largely government and social-service […]

General Electric Co. CEO Jeffrey Immelt had some great things to say about Erie during his address at today’s shareholders’ meeting:
Erie is a GE success story. We have invested in this business … we are winning in the marketplace … we are increasing employment … we are giving back to the community. Yesterday, we visited […]

Here’s a good sign for Erie’s economy — The Washington Post reports the domestic railroad industry is in the early stages of a building boom.
If that trend holds true, it could mean that the boom times at Erie’s largest employer, GE Transportation, will continue.
“This year alone, the railroads will spend nearly $10 billion to add […]