Longtime Clinton County Economic Partnership volunteer Dan Harger honored at CCEP annual dinner
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Dan Harger has logged more than 60 years in volunteering his services towards tourism and economic development in his hometown of Renovo and all across Clinton County. Those efforts were saluted Wednesday night when it was announced that the Clinton County Economic Partnership and Tourism Office on N. Jay Street will now be known as the Daniel R. Harger Center for Economic Development and Tourism.
CCEP President/CEO Mike Flanagan made the announcement at the Partnership’s 34th annual dinner at the Durrwachter Center at CU-Lock Haven.
Harger received a standing ovation from the more than 200 attendees after Flanagan announced the new signage to go up on the CCEP building next spring. “The new sign will honor a person who has volunteered for years, been involved in every industrial park we have had over the last few decades – Harold Sweeney Clinton County Industrial Park, Beech Creek Industrial Park, Renovo Industrial Park and the William Garbrick Sr. Lamar Township Business Park.”
“Infrastructure, transportation, outdoors…he’s been involved in it all,” said Flanagan. The plaque to be placed on the Grove Street office lists previous recognition for Harger: Frank D. O’Reilly Award, Carl Bergdahl Award, CCEP Founding Board Member, Former IDC (Industrial Development Corporation) Board Member, Longtime Transportation Committee Member, and CCEP Facilities Committee Founder and Chairman.
The modest Harger offered his thanks, noting his volunteer work, and said, “We believe in what we are doing; we’re not giving up on Renovo; it’s not the end of it.”
The keynote speaker was Chris Barnett, Site Director for the Mill Hall and Lamar Township operations of Croda, Inc. Barnett traced the local Croda history, including its first operation in Mill Hall dating to 1965. He said that facility currently employs 180 employees and operates on a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week basis. He said the company has invested $50 million in improvements there over the last three years and plans another $50 million in upgrades over the next three years; that operation develops specialty oils.
Barnett detailed plans for what he called a $132-million project now underway at the Garbrick Lamar Township Business Park. He said there are less than 20 employees at the former Baker-Hughes site undergoing substantial renovation. He said that number should increase to between 40 and 50 when operational in 2025. He said that factory is involved in lipid technology, pharmaceutical manufacturing on “the cutting edge” for medicines introduced into the body.
The local Croda head said the site offers “a lot of space to grow.” He also made a point to thank the company’s “dedicated workforce” and said Croda has made a commitment to the community and has been involved with helping the Ross Library in Lock Haven and Central Mountain High School.
Partnership President Flanagan, at the end of the program, renewed his disappointment that the Renovo Energy Center project was dropped earlier this year. He noted how much the billion-dollar project would have meant to Renovo and said it was done in by “dark, secret money (resulting in) good money said we’re done.” Flanagan was not specific about the dark money, but environmental groups had challenged every governmental approval until project sponsor, the Bechtel Corporation, pulled the plug. Flanagan said he had a concern “this will happen again with the Keating Mountain project;” a reference to the KeyState Energy project being pursued in West Keating Township
