Warehouse shelves

Penn's Northeast attracts
quality employers
to Northeastern PA


Who is Penn's Northeast?

Penn's Northeast (PNE) is the regional economic development agency for Northeastern Pennsylvania. We assist site selection consultants, real estate brokers, developers, and businesses seeking to expand or relocate to our 9-county region, which includes Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.

 
Penns NE

In other words...

We help introduce businesses to Northeastern Pennsylvania, a unique region with countless possibilities where economic growth and prosperity intersect with a wonderful quality of life!

 

About Us

Founded in 2002, Penn's Northeast was established by a coalition of private business leaders, utility companies, local economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, and governments to showcase and promote Northeastern Pennsylvania and its collective assets on a global scale.

Our primary goal is to attract quality employers to the region by serving as a comprehensive, one-stop resource for businesses seeking to expand or relocate.

Our mission is to promote Northeastern Pennsylvania by raising awareness, stimulating interest, and building relationships. We market the region to site selection consultants, real estate brokers, developers, and businesses, while serving as a liaison between local development partners, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and companies seeking new facilities.

As your initial point of contact, Penn's Northeast provides essential regional information, identifies available sites or buildings, offers demographic and workforce data, connects you with local economic development and workforce partners, and organizes site tours throughout the region.

 

Sign up for NEPA News!

Subscribe to our newsletter to read the latest news and updates on Northeastern Pennsylvania's economic growth!

 

OUR STAFF

John Augustine

John L. Augustine III

PRESIDENT/CEO

John is the President/CEO of Penn's Northeast. With over 25 years of experience in economic development, he has worked with local and national firms, elected officials, business leaders, and community leaders in various capacities. His expertise includes economic and community development, site selection, regional planning, technology implementation, capital fundraising, operations, and strategic planning.

Before joining Penn's Northeast, John served as the Community Outreach Manager for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, the State's leading trade organization for responsible development in the Marcellus and Utica Shale. Prior to that, he was the Senior Economic Development Director for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business & Industry.

John serves on several boards, including the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Leadership Northeast, Fidelity Bank, The McGowan School of Business, and the PA State Police Camp Cadet. He has also been an adjunct professor at Penn State, King's College, and Luzerne County Community College.

John resides in Mountain Top with his wife Kristine, two children - Jack and Jill, and their dog, Louie.

Rachel Hawk

Rachel Hawk

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Rachel Hawk is the Marketing Director at Penn’s Northeast, where she supports business attraction and regional competitiveness through strategic marketing, branding, and digital communications. With more than 20 years of experience in design and marketing, she helps communicate Northeastern Pennsylvania’s advantages to businesses, site selectors, and economic development partners.

Rachel began her career in design after earning a degree in Computer Graphics from Luzerne County Community College, with a focus on digital media design. She held creative and leadership roles at Rhino Media, The Times Leader, and Positive Results Marketing, creating and overseeing design and marketing materials across print, digital, and social media channels.

Rachel has earned an Economic Development Certificate from Penn State University and an Advanced Leadership Certificate from Leadership Northeast. She is Google Digital Marketing Certified and serves on the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association’s Young Professionals Committee.

Rachel lives in Shavertown with her husband, Matthew; their son, Matthew Jr.; and their two dogs, Nova and Luna.

Invest in Northeastern PA!

For more information on the benefits of becoming a Penn's Northeast partner,

Contact Us Today!


 

Penn's Northeast Partners

Our partners make it possible to highlight Northeastern Pennsylvania as the #1 place to do business on the East Coast! By working hand-in-hand, we help businesses thrive, strengthen our workforce, and show off everything that makes NEPA a great place to live and work.

 

Sign up for NEPA News!

Subscribe to our newsletter to read the latest news and updates on Northeastern Pennsylvania's economic growth!

 

Penn's Northeast Board Members

Say hello to our Board of Directors for Fiscal Year 2025–2026, who bring experience, vision, and leadership to help Northeastern Pennsylvania grow and thrive, shaping strategies that strengthen businesses, workforce development, and regional opportunities.

Officers & Committee Chairs

Chairman of the Board

Kelly O'Brien

Berwick Industrial Development Association

Vice Chairman of the Board

Tommy Grimes

Calex Integrated Supply Chain Solutions

Treasurer of the Board

Jaime Ryan

PNC Bank

Secretary of the Board

Andy Reilly

Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority

Marketing Committee Chair

Troy Bystrom

Wayne Economic Development Corp.

Finance Committee Chair

John Carmody

Wayne Bank

Personnel Committee Chair

Phil Amend

OneSource Staffing Solutions

Nominating Committee Chair

Bill Scranton

Scranton Family Office

Board of Directors

Doug Barbacci

Calex Logistics

Michelle Bisbing

Pocono Mountains Economic Development Corp.

Jeffrey Box

Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance

Don Brominski

UGI Utilities, Inc.

Brian Coyne

SER Commercial Real Estate

Ryan Decker

Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield

Allison Dennison

UGI Utilities, Inc.

Michael DiMare

Geisinger

Zach Hill

Luzerne County Community Development

Jim Hilsher

Mericle Commercial Real Estate

Jason Hunt

PPL Electric Utilities

Griff Keefer

Hinerfeld Commercial Real Estate

Joseph Kluger

Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn

Joseph Lettiere

CAN DO, Inc.

Amy Luyster

The Scranton Plan

Dr. Jill Murray

Lackawanna College

Mike Narcavage

Luzerne County Community College

Larry Newman

Diamond City Partnership

Tim O'Brien

Fidelity Bank

Ken Okrepkie

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of NEPA

Jens Pilz

Davis R. Chant Realtors

Daniel Rickard

PA American Water

Matthew Sordoni

Sordoni Construction Services

Michael Sullivan

Pike County Economic Development Corp.

Justin Taylor

Wayne Economic Development Corp.

Frank Zukas

Schuylkill Economic Development Corp.