SBA Score Champion of the Year Also Career Soldier

News Release


PITTSBURGH DISTRICT OFFICE



Release Date: May 11, 2010 Contact: Janet Heyl (412) 395-6560, ext. 103

Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

Release Number: 10-13/PGH



Local commissioner SCORES win as Western Pennsylvania SBA Volunteer of the Year Award



GREENSBURG, PA – For almost 28 years Col. (Ret.) Charles Anderson served his country as a decorated officer in the Marine Corps, with tours of duty as a pilot in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and holding executive positions at the Pentagon and Cherry Point, N.C. But for the past eight years, Anderson has stayed grounded lending his business expertise as a counselor and motivational speaker for the Westmoreland Chapter of SCORE – Counselor’s to America’s to Small Businesses.



Anderson, a Westmoreland County commissioner, will be honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as the 2010 Western Pennsylvania SCORE Volunteer of the Year.



Anderson and eight other local small business owners and advocates will be lauded at the Western Pennsylvania SBA May 28th Awards Luncheon which will be held at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 47th annual celebration of National Small Business Week.



Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, said that Anderson is an example of how one never stops serving their fellow countrymen. “Here is a decorated Marine Corps colonel, who is a commissioner of a large and growing county, and he still sets time aside to counsel prospective small business owners,” Knoblock said. “His SCORE clients are benefiting from his business and government experience, as well as his dedication.”



Anderson started his career at the tender age of four or five working at his grandfather’s store, Anderson’s Market. “I would sit on the floor with a big bag of potatoes and put those potatoes into small, five-pound bags,” he said. “It was work, but like a game to me.”



As he got older, Anderson’s duties increased and soon he was cutting meats, delivering food and learning the day-to-day operations of running a grocery store. Majoring in business at Waynesburg University, Anderson thought he would stay in the retail arena until he entered the Marine Corps as an officer.



“I was a supply officer because I thought it would enhance my business skills, but I really wanted to be a pilot,” he stated. After serving his three years, Anderson went back to the grocery business but never was able to let go of his dream of flying.





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‘I took flight classes at the (former) Latrobe Airport, and loved it,” he said. “I sent a letter to the Marines asking them if I could come back and enter flight school.” When he found out that at age 26 he was considered too old to fly, Anderson took to the hallways of the Washington, D.C. Marine Headquarters to tell his tale to anyone who would listen.



After three days, one officer granted Anderson the right to compete for Navy/Marine flight school where only the top three candidates were awarded the chance to fly jets. The spirited Anderson made sure he was prepared. “I hired myself a tutor to prepare and study vectors and trigonometry and got a flight physical,” he said. “During flight school, I carried around a model plane. Sure, everyone made fun of me, but guess what? I was the third jet pilot selected.”



Anderson relocated back to Westmoreland County in 2002 as a retiree and joined a host of organizations in order to give back and better the community – SCORE was one of those organizations. He said he uses his flight analogy to tell people never to take “no” for an answer, to set high goals and prepare for them.



“I tell my SCORE clients to write a business plan and set a goal,” he explained. “They (clients) need to go through the process of what they want to do, how to get there and become dedicated to achieving that goal.”



While Anderson is proud of his selection as the SCORE Volunteer of the Year, he said the award really is for the entire chapter.



“We have such great volunteers at Westmoreland SCORE all who had successful careers, giving up their time to make the community a better place – just like I wanted to do,” he stated. “They are so dedicated it makes my eyes want to water.”



Note: If you would like to speak with Commissioner Charles Anderson or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103



The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.



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Farewell Engagement Phantom of the Opera, Pittsburgh

Media Contact:


Veronica Corpuz, 412-471-6082

Jamie Cuba, 412-325-1201





PNC Broadway Across America – Pittsburgh announces on sale ticket information for Pittsburgh’s farewell engagement of the longest-running show in Broadway history!



The Phantom of the Opera



Andrew Lloyd Webber’s International Award-Winning Musical

Directed by Harold Prince



PITTSBURGH--PNC Broadway Across America - Pittsburgh - presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Symphony, and Broadway Across America, proudly announces single ticket on sale information for the farewell engagement of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by Harold Prince, to the Benedum Center from August 25th through September 19th, 2010, as a 2010/2011 Season Special.



Single tickets range from $24 - $125 and will go on sale Monday, May 10th at the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue between Sixth and Seventh Streets), online at phantom.pgharts.org or by calling 412-456-4800. Group orders may be reserved now by calling 412-471-6930.



With some of the most lavish sets, costumes and special effects ever to have been created for the stage, Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA directed by Harold Prince traces the tragic love story of a beautiful opera singer and a young composer shamed by his physical appearance into a shadowy existence beneath the majestic Paris Opera House. Adapted from Gaston Leroux's classic novel of mystery and suspense, this award-winning musical has woven its magical spell over standing room audiences in more than 100 cities worldwide and is now longest running show in Broadway history. For his final overture in Pittsburgh, PHANTOM returns to the Benedum Center to take your breath away.

About Broadway Across America

Broadway Across America is owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities. Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world. Broadway Across America most recently produced the Broadway productions of HAIR, WEST SIDE STORY and Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS. Upcoming productions include MINSKY'S, PROMISES, PROMISES, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET and the West End production of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. Touring productions include Nickelodeon's STORYTIME ADVENTURES featuring Dora the Explorer and DREAMGIRLS. For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.

Western Pennsylvania SBA Exporter of the Year Awarded in Southwest District

News Release


PITTSBURGH DISTRICT OFFICE



Release Date: May 10, 2010 Contact: Janet Heyl (412) 395-6560, ext. 103

Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

Release Number: 10-12/PGH



Local forestry company president logs in win as Western Pennsylvania SBA Exporter of the Year Award



BEDFORD, PA – When Thomas Mereen was in college, he swapped his chemical engineering classes for economics. “I hated engineering, I got good grades, but it just didn’t excite me,” he stated. “But I loved macroeconomics…I wanted to trade goods all around the world.”



Fast-forward a few decades, and Mereen has been able to do just that. He combined his love of the outdoors with microeconomics as log buyer and president of Bedford Forest Products – a Pennsylvania log purchasing company.



Mereen will be honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as the 2010 Western Pennsylvania Exporter of the Year.



Mereen and eight other local small business owners and advocates will be lauded at the Western Pennsylvania SBA May 28th Awards Luncheon which will be held at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 47th annual celebration of National Small Business Week.



Twenty-three years ago, Mereen arrived in Bedford by way of Syracuse, N.Y., with a working knowledge of lumber and milling. He honed his hardwood expertise working at a handful of lumber and veneer mills. When he suddenly found himself unemployed five years ago, Mereen decided to contact a veneer company and offer to purchase wood on commission for their products. In fact, Mereen found there indeed was a market for his forest facts. He began his business by purchasing trees for both small and large wood-product manufacturers.



“I buy the standing trees here and send them to China, I’ve also sent logs to Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Spain, Germany and France,” he explained. “I spend time in the woods here physically looking for pieces of wood my customers want while maintaining total quality control.”



In addition to personally purchasing trees for his clients, Mereen set out to pioneer the milling process for his remote clients. To ensure quality, Mereen remains on-site at a local saw mill where the purchased trees are cut to the customer specifications. “I do this so we can focus on our clients’ needs and expectations,” he explained. “My total customer service allows them to remain competitive in this very challenging world-wide market.”



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Once cut, the fresh lumber is put back together and shipped worldwide. His customers then make wood products and, in turn, export those items around the world.



Mereen said he believes embracing today’s technology has enabled him to not only send and receive orders from around the world, but, also to become paperless. He’s reduced overhead costs associated with inventory equipment – a savings he passes along to his customers.



“Technology allows me to travel about 185 miles each day to personally purchase trees for each customer,” he said.



Mereen said he’s always looking for multiple streams of income. “For instance, I purchase hickory for a gentleman in Germany and have it cut for him; he then makes axe handles out of the hickory.” But one forest project took Mereen by surprise and this year he plans to dabble in the arena of high-end custom furniture.



“I never thought I would end up selling furniture, but I went to see how this furniture in Italy is made and it is beautiful – especially the quality and finishing,” Mereen said. “I plan to have a virtual store and market the furniture to designers and architects all over the world.”



Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, said that Mereen’s log purchasing enterprise shows niche businesses can be cost-effective and allow for tremendous growth. “Mills have closed and he’s using his knowledge to purchase for specialty areas like veneer and axe handles,” Knoblock stated. “He’s also not afraid to branch out and look into other avenues, because there is a huge market for solid-wood furniture. You just need to buy it in bulk and take it globally.”



Meree, maintains he has a passion for small business.



“This award truly is an honor and I’m proud to be the recipient.”





Note: If you would like to speak with Tom Mereen or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103



The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.



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