New director for visitors bureau
Tioga County Visitors Bureau's former public relations director, Lori Copp, was promoted to the position of executive director. For the past 12 years, Copp had been responsible for all of Tioga County Visitors Bureau's communications efforts including writing, editing, marketing, speaking engagements, tours and more. As executive director, she will lead the daily operations of the visitors bureau and will work in conjunction with the board of directors to direct the policies and strategies of the organization, a news release said. Additionally, Copp will be responsible for the Bureau's finances and will oversee the entire staff.
With funding cuts across all levels, all visitors' bureaus, including Tioga County Visitors Bureau, are asked to do more with less. "We have to find smarter ways to partner at the local level, regional level, and state level to ensure that tourism remains one of our top industries," says Copp. "Tourism is the number two industry for the state and also for the county. We cannot lose the market share gained during the years of state funding until that funding is restored. It is up to all of us to work together to not only get out the message of Tioga County, but PA Route 6, the Pennsylvania Wilds, and ultimately Pennsylvania itself."
Tioga County Visitors Bureau is working with the Wellsboro Police, the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce, Hamilton Gibson Productions, the Deane Center and other organizations to put on the annual Fireball Run Adventure Rally which will support the recovery of America's missing children.
Copp received an English degree from Elizabethtown College and currently resides in Wellsboro with her husband, Mark. She will report to Dennis Miller, president of the board of directors. "We're extremely happy to welcome Lori Copp as the new executive director of the TCVB," said Miller. "Lori knows Tioga County, its people and she knows the tourism industry. She has already provided a seamless transition as she assumed her new duties." He added that the board is in the process of developing a new strategic plan that will better define its goals and its services. "Lori will be an excellent leader at this important time in the Bureau's history," Miller said.
2 state employees
win recognition
Two local state Department of Transportation employees were recognized with the department's highest recognition, the Star of Excellence Award.
Rick Mason, community relations coordinator in Lycoming County, and Jared McMicken, assistant county maintenance manager in Bradford County, were two of 31 agency employees across the state honored by PennDOT secretary Barry J. Schoch.
Star of Excellence Awards annually are presented to employees who represent PennDOT's values of service, performance and integrity. The recipients represent a variety of organizational positions, ranging from highway maintenance and driver and vehicle services workers, programming specialists, communications staff and design and engineering specialists.
Attorney to chair
health law committee
Thomas G. Wilkinson, Jr., Pennsylvania Bar Association president-elect, has appointed Cliff Rieders, a partner in the city law firm of Rieders, Travis, Humphrey, Harris, Waters & Waffenschmidt, as Chairman of the Health Care Law Committee. In the past, Rieders has been a co-chair.
The Health Law Committee, a news release said, is charged with the review, study, and recommendations with respect to legislative proposals for changes in the health care system. The Health Law Committee also is charged with proposing additional recommendations relating to litigation involving medical and hospital practices. The work of the Medical and Health-Related Interdisciplinary Committee was folded into the work of the Health Care Law Committee. Therefore, added to the function of the Health Care Law Committee is the study and reporting requirements on the technical, ethical and scientific aspects of medical and health-related legal issues.
Part of the Committee work is to identify ways to enhance collegiality and cooperation between the legal and medical professions.
Rieders is a former President of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, is a nationally certified civil trial advocate, is the author of a number of texts and articles, and practices law as a trial lawyer in Williamsport.
Man joins city
brokerage team
Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services welcomes Mike Adams to its brokerage team. He has joined Mericle's Williamsport office serving commercial clients in the central and north central Pennsylvania regions, according to a news release.
Adams has held various positions in the fields of real estate, economic development, and government. Prior to joining Mericle, Adams served as the director of real estate for the Department of General Services. Through that position he represented Pennsylvania in multiple large scale lease transactions, land acquisitions, and property sale transactions.
Adams also served as the vice president for a general contractor in central Pennsylvania. During his tenure, he appeared before various state, local, and county boards to obtain permits and approvals for client land development projects.
"We are thrilled to welcome Mike as a new member of our team and look forward to the services and skills he has to offer," said Al Guari, Mericle vice president of brokerage, according to the news release.
Adams graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in accounting. In 1999 he obtained designation as a certified commercial investment member from the Institute of Real Estate Management. In addition, Adams serves on the Next Century Board of Directors and is a junior high football coach for Selinsgrove Area School District.
