The Allegheny Bradford Family of Companies — Allegheny Bradford Manufacturing, Top Line Process Equipment Company, Allegheny Surface Technology and ABC Actini — is the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce’s Exemplary Business Award recipient for 2017.  

The 2017 Community & Spirit Award will be presented to Bradford Ecumenical Home, while Craig Hartburg, owner and president of Servco Services, is the 2017 recipient of the Directors’ Award, chosen by the BACC Board of Directors and awarded to an individual or organization who has earned special recognition.

BACC’s 2017 Legacy Award will be presented to Rev. Leo Gallina.

The awards will be presented at the BACC Annual Meeting and Awards Presentation April 20 at the Pennhills Club.  

Allegheny Bradford, or ABC, specializes in manufacturing and marketing stainless steel, sanitary/hygienic products to the pharmaceutical, biotechnical, cosmetic, food, beverage, dairy and electronics processing industries. ABC provides work for 243 employees through its companies in Lewis Run — latest data from the Center for Workforce Information and Analysis ranked its operations as No. 10 for largest employers in McKean County and No. 5 in manufacturers.

To aid in employee development, ABC works with the North Central Pennsylvania Advanced Materials and Diversified Manufacturing (AMDM) Industry Partnership, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Continuing Education, and the Workforce & Economic Develop Network (WEDnetPA) training programs. In addition, ABC is an active member of the Bradford Area HR Local Network Meeting, the Bradford Area School District Career Tech Advisory Committee and the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce. The campus has more than 150,000 square feet of manufacturing, office and warehouse space.

In addition to its state-of-the art manufacturing processes, continuous improvement initiatives and ongoing training on safety and environmental issues, ABC’s leadership and employees are involved in numerous charitable activities throughout the community.

As the Community & Spirit Award recipient, Bradford Ecumenical Home provides an array of activities for not only their residents, but to engage their families, guests and the community. During Older Americans Month, in May of 2016, Bradford Ecumenical Home partnered with the YMCA, the city of Bradford and United Way of the Bradford Area to host the “As I Age” Wall, highlighting issues of ageism as well as identifying opportunities to enhance services within the community based upon the needs and observations that community members transcribed.

Bradford Ecumenical Home has partnered with resources throughout the region and state, with “Artful Aging” — offered as a quarterly program in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts — as one example. They have also been selected as one of 25 candidates from across the state to participate in Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, with a community improvement project. BEH has chosen a trail beautification project, providing seniors with serenity and safe passage to enjoy nature’s benefits. The formal unveiling of this project, which includes ADA-approved handrails on the walking trail, weatherproof benches and planter boxes, stocking the stream with assorted fish and provision of fishing poles, will occur on Earth Day.

Bradford Ecumenical Home’s Wellness Committee continues to partner with the Tuna Valley Trail Association and has adopted the White Pines Trail at Marilla Reservoir to provide trail maintenance from April through November. They have a long-standing relationship with several area civic organizations, including the Salvation Army, United Way of the Bradford Area, 50+ Club, and Rotary Club, among others.

Regarding the Directors’ Award, Hartburg’s selection was based on his longtime service to the community.

He has been a member of the Pitt-Bradford Advisory Board since 2000, where he has also served as vice chair, chair of the board’s Communications and University Relations Council, a member of the Development Council, Governance Council and Executive Committee. He was elected chair of the Advisory Board in 2005, and also has served as vice president of the Bradford Educational Foundation and as a member of the University of Pittsburgh’s Board of Trustees.

Hartburg has served as a member and chair of the Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems board and chair of its Development Committee; as president of the United Way of the Bradford Area and chair of its annual fund drive; and as a board member of Control Chief Corporation, the Bradford Civil Service Commission, Stairways Behavioral Health Systems, and Bradford Regional Medical Center.

Gallina is being honored for making extraordinary contributions to the local community. A Bradford native and former pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church, “he is known throughout the Bradford community and beyond for his commitment, generosity and enthusiasm,” the Chamber notes.

Ordained in 1965, Gallina attended seminaries at Gannon University in Erie, Christ the King in Allegany, N.Y., and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. His career in the priesthood took him to Cathedral Prep in Erie, where he taught; St. George’s Church in Erie and St. Tobias Church in Brockway, where he was an assistant pastor. He served as pastor of St. Theresa Church in Shinglehouse, Sacred Heart Parish in Genesee, St. Boniface Church in Erie and St. Bernard Church in Bradford. He retired in 2011 after 46 years of service to the church and currently lives in Erie, but returns frequently to visit Bradford.

“While he has been retired for several years, Father Leo always stops in to the Chamber office during his visits to Bradford, with a warm smile and encouraging word,” said Kennedy. “His unfailing enthusiasm is what led us to choose the following quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson for this year’s awards event: ‘Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.’”

The social hour for the event starts at 6 p.m., followed by the awards presentation at 7 p.m. The evening will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts, refreshments and a cash bar.

All BACC members, their employees and guests are invited to attend. For tickets and sponsorship information, contact the Chamber at 368-7115.