A Great Day in WINDBER, PA

The Merck jet landed early at the John P. Murtha Airport, and Mr. Clark and his wife Angela arrived at the Windber Research Institute nearly 20 minutes earlier than predicted by the agenda.  The primary narration for the tour of the Institute was provided by Dr. Michael Liebman, and clearly, captured everyone's imagination. Congressman Murtha joined us in the lab and spent quality time with our individual technicians and PhD's. 

As quoted from Randy Griffith's article in the Johnstown Tribune Democrat, "The leader of a major vaccine maker commended Windber Research Institute’s preventive approach while discussing collaboration opportunities Wednesday." And that was just the beginning of a spectacular day that involved serious negotiations with Congressman Murtha, The Conemaugh Health System, Governor Ed Rendell, and leadership from CHS and WRI.

The most enjoyable part of the day, however, was yet to come when Mr. and Mrs. Clark had a reunion with three of their best friends from high school. The Creagers, Feskos and Hornicks from Johnstown, North Carolina and Connellsville, respectively, brought their spouses and had dinner and fun with the Clarks.

As the corporate jet took off from Johnstown, through the front window, you could see the pilot eating a Coney Island hotdog. The Merck jet, Johnstown, and Windber will never be the same, ever.  As Mr. Clark left town, he shook my hand and informed us that we would be working together in the near future.

What are our dreams? Minimally, we hope that we will be successful in setting up several research partnerships between WRI. the DoD and Merck. With the Conemaugh Health System we are hoping to include Merck in a Data Fusion project, and would love to see independent labs built out in the new tech park.  Finally, a grand slam home run would be the construction of a full blown vaccine plant in Western Pennsylvania for the production of either AIDS or Avian flu vaccines.  So, say a little prayer for progress, and we'll keep you informed.

Comments

[Jasmyn]

Mr. Jacobs,
I read with great interest your blog about Merck coming to Windber. I just moved here from Danville, PA-of which you have a picture posted of Mercks facility in Riverside. I think a plant out here would be great, however Danville has recently learned that their plant will be closed within the next 4 years with layoffs already occuring. I believe this is the same for other Merck facilities in the country. My hometown is very concerned about Merck leaving, as it will take with is a great portion of our population and/or leave many jobless. We were an old iron mill town, which died out when the Steel Mills became popular in Western PA. Merck and Geisinger helped to rejuvinate Danville, but now we are dying out again. I would hate to see this happen to Windber.

Sincerely,
Jasmyn

[Nancy Crist]

Hi Nick,
Commenting from Florida. I still read your blog always and this one made my heart beat a little faster. This could be the best opportunity yet and I hope and pray that it is. I am looking forward to reading about the progress involving Merck. Sounds like the best is yet to come and Joy played a big part in this beginning. Things do work out for a reason. Time to FLY!!
You can take the girl out of Windber but you can't take Windber out of the girl.
Blessings Always,
Nancy