
SEDCO Board welcomes new members
Four county business leaders join SEDCO Board
On March 16, 2023, the board of directors of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation announced that four Schuylkill County business leaders have joined the organization as members of the board.
Pictured, back row, left to right, are new directors Karl Nolte of EMD Group, Glen Antz of Antz Energy Systems, and Mike Pechart with the Masser Family of Companies; front row, left to right, are Board Secretary Kirk Fanelli, Vice-chair Christine Verdier, new director Larry Wittig of Wittig & Company, CPAs, and Board Treasurer Demetrius Kasmari.
Travel Plaza Development Announced

Onvo Travel Plaza – Highridge, located at exit 119 of Interstate 81, will serve travelers and truck drivers with premium fuel, food service, and a convenience store. The property is located at the Highridge Business Park, which is a 2,000-acre development covering Butler, Cass and Foster Townships. Developed by the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO), the park is home to several distribution and manufacturing operations including Wegmans, Lowes, Wal-Mart, and Tyson Foods among others.
The 9,500 sq. ft. building will feature a full-sized Burger King restaurant with a drive-thru window as well as an Onvo convenience store among other amenities for travelers, commuters, and truck drivers. The property will also have 65 parking spots for cars and 34 parking spots for trucks, with the company planning to add an additional 56 truck parking spots in the future.
Construction on this project will begin in early fall 2021 with the company aiming to open the site for business by Memorial Day 2022. Onvo Travel Plaza – Highridge will create up to 70 full-time jobs between the convenience store and Burger King. The property also has potential for additional retail, food service, and hospitality development that will also be explored by Onvo.
UPDATE: COVID19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP) in Schuylkill County
In early March, the Schuylkill County Commissioners, Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) and NEPA Alliance partnered to deliver the COVID19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP) for eligible businesses in Schuylkill County.
As of March 31 the NEPA Alliance reported that 90 applications were received and 73 businesses in Schuylkill County were awarded grants totaling $1,470,000.
Recipients include: