The Triage Team
What can the Triage Team provide for you?
- Product development
- Connections to manufacturers
- Opportunities to meet mentors, lenders, and potential investors
- Help with structuring your business entity
- Prototyping
- Possible tax credit incentives
We can connect you with resources to assist with your Business Plan!
Jessica Lattanza
Hite Family Director, Altoona LaunchBox supported by the Hite Family
Jessica is currently the Director of the Altoona LaunchBox supported by the Hite Family and joined the LaunchBox after 12 years with UPMC Altoona serving in various leadership roles including Director of Operations for Blair Medical Associates and most recently as Director of Physician Relations for the local system.
Jessica’s passion for entrepreneurship began as a business analyst with the Saint Francis University Small Business Development Center, where she assisted with business start-ups and growth in a six-county region. Before moving to Central Pennsylvania, Jessica worked for Marriott International as part of the Southeast US Sales & Marketing Team handling regional procurement and contracting for Marriott’s distribution services department.
A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a BS in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration, Jessica made Blair County her home in 2001. She is a strong advocate for the growth and appreciation of our region and helping budding entrepreneurs realize their dreams.
Paul Cooney
Professor of Practice
Mr. Cooney is currently a Professor of Practice in Entrepreneurship at Penn State Altoona. Mr. Cooney became an adjunct faculty member at Penn State Altoona in 2013 teaching entrepreneurship classes.
Mr. Cooney was formerly The Director of Business Development and Loan Programs with the Altoona Blair County Development Corporation. Mr. Cooney was responsible for marketing and underwriting the various loan programs offer ed by ABCD Corp. throughout Blair County and Central Pennsylvania.
Mr. Cooney joined ABCD in 2004 after working 15 years with M&T Bank. While there he served in a number of capacities including commercial lending and business credit analysis.
Mr. Cooney is a graduate of Penn State University with a BS in Finance. Mr. Cooney is a life long resident of Altoona where he resides with his wife Michelle and three daughters Michala, Mia and Marin. Mr. Cooney enjoys the outdoors and is an avid cyclist, skier and part time professional photographer.
John Horell
President of KIZ Resources
John received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from The Pennsylvania State University in 2004. That same year he began his professional career with Harry K. Sickler Associates in Tyrone, PA. Currently John is President of KIZ Resources, LLC.
John and his company are recognized throughout Pennsylvania for their experience and leadership in obtaining and monetizing various types of government incentives. A strong advocate for higher education, John serves as a member of the Penn State Altoona Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence Advisory Board and the Penn State Altoona Philanthropic Council.
Mike Strait
Account Manager, Link Computer Corporation
Mike currently serves as an Account Manager with Link Computer Corporation. His experience brings nearly 25 years in technology sales and marketing, helping businesses, non-profits and public agencies to improve technology, enhance data security, and enrich communications through solutions tailored to their unique needs.
Mike enjoys helping clients overcome challenges and promoting how the right technology solution can transform an organization. With extensive experience developing and delivering Cloud and IT managed services solutions to organizations of all sizes, Mike’s technology expertise is extremely helpful to small business and startup planning.
R. Lee Hite
Past Chairman of the Board, The Hite Company
R. Lee Hite, local businessman and investor, brings with him to the Triage Team over 50 years of business background and experience, with emphasis on management development, leadership, and human resource knowledge. He worked for US Steel in the Pittsburgh area for 4 years and then came into his family business, The Hite Company, in 1969. The Hite Company is an electrical distributorship started in 1949. After serving in many roles, he became President in 1982 replacing his father who passed away in 1986.
Lee went on to become Chairman and primary owner before handing over the reins to his son-in-law, Scott Lawhead, who became President in 2011. In 2018 The Hite Company completed a merged sale to Mayer Electric of Birmingham, AL and is now part of a much bigger family ownership. Scott continues to manage the PA and WV locations as well as three southern states. Mayer serves 12 states, 84 locations, 1100 associates and does over $1 billion in sales revenue.
Being very active in the community, Lee continues to serve on many non-profit boards and angel investment groups. He and his family recently provided sponsorship of the Altoona LaunchBox, an entrepreneurial oversight group that works with community startups in hopes of providing them with expertise and assistance in starting up a new venture.
Matthew Fox
Hello Everyone! I’m Matt and I currently serve as the Director of Business Expansion for Altoona Blair County Development Corporation and function as the entrepreneurial and start-up coach for Blair County as part of the Startup Alleghenies program. I look forward to helping you make your business dreams a reality.
While I am not a native of Blair County or the First Frontier region, I have called this area my home for over 15 years and cannot think of a better place to live. I grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania then my family moved to the northern Virginia area where I graduated high school and lived for 10 years after graduating from Penn State University.
Growing up my father started his own picture framing business in a spare room in our home and named his venture Fox Framing. Every day we answered the phone “Fox Framing headquarters how may we help you” to which all our friends and family had a good laugh, but it was instilled at a young age what professionalism and hard work meant. Like many entrepreneurs their companies start as side projects and while my father never left his full-time job to conquer the custom picture framing world, we did meet a lot of people and grew the business every year.
All my jobs post college have been with smaller companies with the maximum number of employees at 12 which allows someone to experience and be involved with as many facets of a business as they want. I have been fortunate to have bosses that have embraced my enthusiasm for learning more and more about each business, vendors, clients and more.
While I may not be the exact subject matter expert that you are looking to assist your startup venture, I know that my network of people can get you to right people to help you. I am passionate about seeing all companies regardless of size thrive here in Blair County and the entire region.
José Luis Otero
José Luis “Pepe” was born in Mexico City, raised in sunny San Diego, California and has lived in a variety of areas, but now happily calls Johnstown, PA home. With BA’s in Business Management and Economics along with a MBA in Strategic Leadership he has worked with Department of Defense contractors, financial institutions, school districts, law enforcement, non-profits, Fortune 500 companies, hundreds of startup companies in various industries. Currently José Luis works for Ben Franklin Technology Partners Central North Pennsylvania as a Portfolio Manager/Regional Director.
For more than 30 Years, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA has provided startup funding and business support services to tech-based startups and small manufacturers located in PA. Serving a diverse population to help reach and exceed their business goals is a priority of José Luis. If you have a start-up company, facing adverse market conditions, financial distress, or looking to expand your existing business, please feel free to reach out. You will be able explore, develop, and implement a purposeful/strategic framework that makes financial sense for a prosperous future.
We believe in providing opportunities for entrepreneurs of all shapes and sizes. Consider filling out the form below to gain access to our expert network along with our rapidly developing resources. Talk to our Business Triage Team and receive valuable information and insight to all things business.
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