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Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program assists businesses By Laura Tetrault and Barbara Hale
	Penn State’s Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP) provided 490 cases of technical assistance to 440 clients in all 67 counties last year. More than 40 percent of the businesses were in counties designated as economically distressed, noted Jack Gido, director of PENNTAP.   According to a yearend report, PENNTAP clients reported $9.4 million in economic benefits, including cost savings, sales increases and capital investments. More than 330 jobs were created or saved as a result of PENNTAP assistance. PENNTAP reported a 99 percent client satisfaction rate.   PENNTAP also has established an e-business Technical Assistance Program, e-TAP, in partnership with the Commonwealth’s Team PA business retention program to help small businesses with their Internet, Web site and information technology needs.   To better serve the food processing industry, PENNTAP has appointed Alan McConnell as a senior technical specialist.   McConnell is providing limited free technical assistance to various types of small- and medium-size food processing firms throughout Pennsylvania for a broad range of technical questions and needs. He is assisting these businesses by providing technical advice, technical information and referrals to other resources and programs.   He has more than 10 years of experience serving the food processing industry. He has experience in food chemistry, microbiology analysis, quality control, sanitation, food safety and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. Prior to joining PENNTAP, McConnell was director of food science services for American Westech Inc.   He holds a bachelor’s degree in plant science and a master’s degree in food science, both from Penn State. McConnell is based at Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown and can be reached by phone at 717-948-6520 and by e-mail at alm4@psu.edu.   PENNTAP is a statewide network of technical specialists. The unit helps Pennsylvania businesses improve their competitiveness by providing free technical assistance and information to help resolve specific technical questions or needs that can be addressed within a limited amount of time.   The program focuses on helping smaller businesses that normally do not have the in-house expertise or time to resolve specific technical questions or needs. Last year, 63 percent of PENNTAP’s clients were businesses with fewer than 50 employees.   Serving Pennsylvania business and industry since 1965, PENNTAP is a federal-state-university partnership for economic development and one of the nation’s first technical assistance programs.   For more information about PENNTAP, visit the Web site at www.penntap.psu.edu.
© 2002 Outreach Communications,   Outreach & Cooperative Extension,   The Pennsylvania State University phone: (814) 865-8108,   fax: (814) 863-2765,   e-mail: outreachnews@outreach.psu.edu