GREENVILLE, Pa. – The new general manager at Castle Canning in Sharon praised the environment of the community where it is based and the company’s employees at Penn-Northwest Development Corp.’s annual meeting Wednesday.
Castle Canning was this year’s recipient of Penn-Northwest’s Make It in Mercer County Local Industry Impact Award, which was presented at the breakfast recognizing Penn-Northwest’s 40th anniversary, held at Thiel College.
“Our goal is to make sure we’re putting food on everybody’s table that needs it,” said J.R. Reazor, who recently joined the plant as general manager.
Castle Canning, which prepares and cans products such as beans, chili, stews, spaghetti sauce and soups, serves alternative food channels such as food banks as part of the Feed America program. It began operations in Sharon in 2023.
The award went “to a company that decided that Mercer County was going to be the place that they wanted to invest, not only in a business but in its people and in its community,” said Rod Wilt, executive director of Penn-Northwest.
“Sharon, Pa., has proven to be a fertile ground for Castle Canning’s growth, a place where small business is not only welcomed but championed,” he said. “I’ve had the privilege of moving around to multiple cities and multiple states, but I can tell you that Sharon stands out just in my short six weeks for its unwavering dedication, enthusiasm for the entrepreneurial spirit.”
Reazor praised Castle’s “visionary investors,” which developed its mission and emphasized the importance “of nourishing both people and communities,” as well as the plant’s workforce.
“This team embodies a collaborative spirit, a relentless, can-do attitude – no pun intended,” he remarked.
The plant, which now has 40 employees and a $2.2 million annual payroll, is producing 26 to 30 truckloads per month, Reazor said. The goal is to add a second shift sometime during the next 12 months, adding another 25 to 30 to the current workforce, and increase output to 40 trucks per month.
Reazor also acknowledged that the plant is experiencing increased demand because of the general state of the economy and the federal government shutdown. Over the past four weeks, it has shipped about 15 truckloads of product to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s American Marketing Services program.
“We have a lot of people across the state looking at us, saying, ‘What is going on in Mercer County and in the region? … But it’s [due] to all of you,” said Brad Gosser, outgoing Penn-Northwest chairman.
Penn-Northwest recognized several other businesses, individuals and groups with awards during the meeting. It’s Make It in Mercer County Local Industry Impact Award went to Primary Health Network. PHN also was recognized recently as one of the top three Inspiring Workplaces in the world for 2025 by the Inspiring Workplaces Group, which Wilt acknowledged was “a huge factor” in the recognition by PNDC.
The Inspiring Workplace recognition is “a reflection of the compassion and dedication that our team has in caring for our community,” said Dr. George Garrow, CEO of Primary Health Network.
“Primary Health Network was founded in the model of community health centers, which are there to care for everyone, regardless of their station in life or their ability to pay,” he continued. “Now more than ever, community health centers like ours are here to serve our community and provide exceptional care that is compassionate.”
The Improvement Movement Team Champion Award went to three Hermitage officials: Gary Hinkson, city manager; Gary Gulla, assistant city manager; and Mark Longietti, director of business and community development. The Homegrown Award went to Adrianna Padilla, a real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty.
Former Penn-Northwest chairman Dick Stevenson was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“As I look around the room and I see the energy and the number of people and the number of partners who are here today, it’s truly encouraging. And it’s easy to see that economic development in Mercer County is alive and well,” Stevenson said.
Penn-Northwest generated 14 new industry leads through direct and indirect sources and distributed more than 10 new prospect proposals to recruit companies into the county, Wilt reported. Through its efforts, 61 companies in the county got direct or indirect workforce development support, including the largest Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant in Mercer County’s history, $6 million for a new Lindy Paving recycled asphalt plant in Hermitage.
“Were very, very proud that, overall, Penn-Northwest can point to the last 12 months of retaining or creating 1,000 jobs in Mercer County,” he said.
Wilt shared results from the most recent business trends survey conducted among county businesses. Manufacturing remains the leading industry in the county, followed by health care, education and services, he reported. Of the nearly 100 respondents, 87% saw no employment decline, and 41% reported an increase in employment during the one-year period covered by the survey.
Despite economic headwinds, 84% of the businesses reported profits over the year had increased or held steady, he said. Asked in a survey why they were located in Mercer County, 53% cited the low cost of living, and 24% named availability of a skilled and reliable workforce.
“I found that very encouraging,” Wilt said.
Helping to retain and attract the workforce that existing and incoming employers need was among the topics that Jake Rickert, associate executive director, addressed in his comments.
“Over the last few years, it’s become increasingly apparent that if we want to have a long-term sustainable impact on the economic health and vitality of Mercer County, we have to do more than what’s typical or what’s expected of an economic development organization,” he said. “We have to be engaged; we have to be proactive; and we have to be creative in every aspect of community development, because thriving businesses rely on thriving communities.”
Rickert pointed to efforts such as Penn-Northwest’s Homegrown and Seedling initiatives to connect students as early as fifth grade to local opportunities and the MakeMyMove incentive targeted to remote workers. Penn-Northwest also is looking to bring an economic gardening program to Mercer County that would provide second-stage companies with detailed data and insights, “helping them make highly informed decisions to help increase revenue, increase their presence and add new jobs in the community,” he said.
“We’re trying to provide more than just typical economic development solutions. We really want to build a community here where people want to live, learn, work and play,” he said.
Pictured at top: Rod Wilt, executive director of Penn-Northwest, speaks during Wednesday’s meeting.