Employer Testimonials - Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services

Employer Testimonials

Greater Hazleton's workforce is without a doubt the best workforce I have encountered in all of the locations where I have worked. That includes Boston, Memphis, Tulsa, the Bay Area, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Rochester and Philadelphia. Hazleton offers a great basic educational system, and the people possess strong skill sets to meet the needs of industry. Our plant has been designated a "General Mills Company of Champions," and that is exactly what our employees are - "Champions."

Sean Anderson, Plant Manager

General Mills, Hazleton, PA

We really wanted to make sure Hazleton was the right fit before we made our final decision, because once we locate somewhere, we're there for the long term. The combination of location, workforce and the Keystone Opportunity Zone incentives we found in the Hazleton area made us confident that this is the perfect location for Tootsie Roll.

... I've been pleasantly suprised with the quality of folks. We have had a couple hundred apply. They are great people. We couldn't be happier. And it's a great community."

John Majors, Vice President of Distribution
Tootsie Roll, Hazleton, PA

The Hazleton plant has been the best-performing plant for at least the last 10 years. Soon, we are going to be passing out about 30 service awards to employees who have been here 20, 25, 30, 35 years."

John Kittredge, Vice President of Marketing
Fabri-Kal, Hazleton, PA

The main reason for our success is our people. We have dedicated, hard-working people who give 100% all of the time. We have super employees."

John Meir, Human Resources Manager
Bemis Company, Inc., Hazleton, PA

We had absolutely no problems finding candidates who possess the skill sets we were seeking. I've been very impressed with the people our company has hired in Hazleton and with the number of applicants who applied for positions."

Ken Gonnella, President
Gonnella Frozen Products, Hazleton, PA

This is a new location. Anytime you have a startup, things can be confusing and hectic. But our employees have been wonderful during this period. They have a low absenteeism rate and are incredibly eager to learn. They've also dealt with changing shifts and have put in a lot of extra time and effort to help us get off the ground and running smoothly. And with no shortage of applicants, we have had no problem finding employees with the technical skills we need."

Monica Holly, Human Resource & Safety Manager
Gonnella Frozen Products, Hazleton, PA

I was exceedingly happy with the applicants we got from our advertising and from just putting a sign out on the lawn. I thought it may be difficult to find qualified workers, but we received hundreds of applicants for those jobs."

Bill Lewis, Manager
Quebecor World, Hazleton, PA

Every one of our employees has a great attitude. They feel that there is no job too big or too small. That's what makes us such a dynamic company. They're all hard workers with the desire to learn and hone their skills so they can advance to the next level. They're so dedicated that in the event of a power outage, they'll work 12, 14, 16 hours or more to get our customers up and running and keep them safe."

George F. Hayden, Vice President of Operations
George J. Hayden, Inc., Hazleton, PA

Since we began operations in May of 2002, our full-time workforce has grown by 30 percent, and Greater Hazleton has been able to support that growth. Our attendance record is the best in the Michaels network, and the dedication and hard work of our associates is what keeps us at the top of the network for productivity."

Michael Camp, General Manager - Northeast Distribution
Michaels Stores, Inc., Hazleton, PA

The Hershey Company is very pleased to have such a great operating facility in Hazleton. Our employees are our greatest asset, and we are fortunate to have great people working at the Hazleton plant... many with more than 20 years of service."

Gene Tannler, Plant Manager
Hershey Company, Hazleton, PA