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PENNTAP launches e-TAP By Barbara Hale
	The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP) has launched an e-business Technical Assistance Program, called e-TAP, to provide free help to enhance the e-business capabilities of small- and medium-sized companies throughout the Commonwealth.   The e-TAP initiative is funded by the Pennsylvania Technology Investment Authority of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. A PENNTAP e-business technical specialist is now located in eight Team PA locations around the state.   Jack Gido, PENNTAP director, said, “The rapid development and deployment of Internet technologies and the growth of e-business applications have created not only opportunities, but also substantial confusion and apprehension in the business community. While the larger companies have sufficient resources to cope with the communication revolution, many smaller firms do not. A recent national survey conducted by Padgett Business Services revealed that 90 percent of small firms spent no money on the Internet last year, and 94 percent conducted no sales through the Internet.”   The new e-TAP initiative will help all types of Pennsylvania small businesses improve their competitiveness and growth by providing technical assistance to accelerate use of Internet-based technologies to enhance their e-business capabilities. It will provide opportunities for businesses to implement e-commerce applications and to integrate appropriate e-commerce strategies into company business plans.   When working with manufacturing firms, the PENNTAP specialists will collaborate with Pennsylvania’s network of Industrial Resource Centers. They also will work collaboratively with the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) regarding the SBDCs e-business training activities.   PENNTAP specialists are: Central Region: Carlos Colon, Lewisburg ccolon@psu.edu, 570-847-3457 North Central Region: Gregory Snyder, St. Marys/Ridgway gws10@psu.edu, 814-592-9950 Northeast Region: Michael Matosky, Pittston mmatosky@psu.edu, 570-881-2699 Northern Tier Region: Donna Yale, Towanda dyale@psu.edu, 570-265-2171 x3012 Northwest Region: Jonathan Eames, Erie jeames@psu.edu, 814-865-0427 South Central Region: Donald Krysakowski, York donkrys@psu.edu, 717-887-7905 Southeast Region: Ruth Parker, Philadelphia rparker@psu.edu, 212-275-7212 Southern Alleghenies Region: Brian Goss, Altoona bgoss@psu.edu, 814-207-0281   For more information about e-Tap, contact Wayne Figurelle, e-Business Solutions manager, by e-mail at wfigure@psu.edu or by phone at 814-863-1579, or visit the PENNTAP Web site at www.penntap.psu.edu.