The challenges facing women in the business world are well documented. Persistent stereotypes lead to invidious discrimination. The old-boy network protects its members. Access to capital can be limited. Competing demands often create self-doubt.
All are troubling and should be eliminated. While progress has been made on that front, succeeding as a business owner remains more difficult for women.
And yet, so many make it work. Credit their energy, talent, intelligence and perseverance – the qualities shared by most successful business leaders. It should be no surprise that those qualities will be evident in half the population.
With this issue, CPBJ recognizes and celebrates women who demonstrate those qualities and put them to use in building prosperous companies. The businesses profiled in these pages hail from a wide variety of industries. The story of successful women-owned businesses is the story of economic growth in the midstate.
So please join us in congratulating the businesses we honor here. Some started from scratch and built thriving companies; others took over going concerns and made them better. All of them possess the drive and ability to succeed in a world still structured to hold them back. As you read the profiles, reflect on that fact and what it took to earn a place on this list. Let us know
Karns Prime & Fancy Food is a family business that operates grocery stores with a full-service meat department. It is 60% woman owned and was established in 1959. The company’s corporate office is in Mechanicsburg, and it has 10 grocery stores that operate under the name Karns Foods. It has over 1,400 employees.
Joy Daniels Real Estate group is a 50% woman owned real estate business based in Harrisburg. It has 15 employees. Joy Daniels, a licensed real estate agent and broker, launched the company in 2010.
Hanover Land Services provides land surveying, planning and engineering services to clients in south central Pennsylvania and Maryland. It also offers hydrology/hydraulic engineering services. The company, which is 51% woman owned, has offices in Hanover and Westminster, MD. It has over 30 employees.
lackCSI is a managed technology services company providing small to mid-sized businesses with tailored IT solutions designed to help their business thrive in today’s digital landscape. The Dillsburg company is 100% woman owned and has 13 employees.
Hershey Family Chiropractic is a 100% woman owned practice located in Hershey. It focuses on chiropractic care, pain prevention, and general health and wellness. The practice was founded six years ago and has 11 employees, who are all women.
Susan Graham Consulting is a recruiting agency in Hershey. It is 100% woman owned and as of 2023 had 45 employees.
A 100% women-owned business, Pierson Computing is headquartered in Mechanicsburg. It has 111 employees.
Located in Leola, The Inn at Leola Village, a 100% woman owned business, was once an Amish tobacco farm. The property is now a luxury boutique, historic hotel, spa and events venue for private events, weddings and meetings.
Carlisle Container has been “Thinking Outside the Box since 1965”. It is 60% woman owned. The company’s 60,000 square foot manufacturing and warehouse facility is located in Carlisle.
Abel Personnel is a staffing and recruiting company in Harrisburg. It’s 67% woman owned and employs about 20 people. It is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year.
Cavalry Realty is a 53% woman owned real estate agency headquartered in Etters with additional offices in Lancaster and Mechanicsburg. Founded in 2006, the agency lists and sells residential and commercial real estate.
Founded in 2017, Thrive Fit Co. is a boutique fitness studio in Camp Hill specializing in strength training, mobility, and adventure. Offerings include small group, team, and one-on-one training to fit client’s fitness goals.
A civil engineering firm, NTM Engineering provides a variety of engineering services including hydrology and hydraulics, stormwater design, waterway permitting, environmental, transportation, bridge design, bridge inspection, and training. Based in Dillsburg, the 55% woman owned business, also has offices in State College, Philadelphia and Wayne.
Simply Events is a wedding and corporate event planning company based in Lititz. The 14-year-old, 100% woman owned company works with brides and grooms, corporations and individuals who desire memorable, relaxed and well-planned events.
Momentum, Inc.is a small, 54% women owned IT and management consulting firm in Camp Hill. It was founded in 1998 and serves public and private sector clients in the mid-Atlantic region. It has 85 employees.
Linlo Properties is a family owned and operated real estate business started by Linda and Lowell Gates in 1992. It’s headquartered in Camp Hill and has over 50 employees including the couple’s daughter, Emily Tarbell, who serves as COO.
A 100% woman owned business, Move Forward Counseling is a mental health therapy practice that provides outpatient counseling to people aged six and older online across the state, in-person at seven therapy offices, and an employer EAP via a team of 60 therapists. It’s headquartered in Lancaster and has 80 employees.
Triangle Press is a sheet-fed and digital commercial printing company. Services also include graphic design, binding, wide-format printing, fulfillment, in-house mailing and promotional products. Founded in 1970 and located in Harrisburg, it is 51% woman owned.
Absolute Pilates is dedicated to transforming lives through the power of movement. Founded 15 years ago, the Mechanicsburg company is 100% woman owned and has 14 employees.
C & J Catering is a full-service catering and event business offering catering, event and venue management, floral and design services as well as contract management and services related to food and beverage. Based in Middletown the 20-year-old company, which is 75% woman owned, employs over 175 people, many of them are women.
Headquartered in Dover, CB Construction Services is 55% woman owned. The small family-owned construction business was founded in 2012 and as of 2023 employed 20 people.
SVN Latus Commercial Realty is a licensed professional real estate advisory firm based in Camp Hill. Services include sales, leasing, property management including oversight of construction and renovation projects, strategic real estate advisor services and consulting.
A 100% woman owned business; Sherman Property Management is based in York. Founded in 1998, it offers property management, leasing, condominium and association management, maintenance, development and consulting services. It employs 17 people.
A 50% woman owned business located in Halifax, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park offers fun family activities and animal attractions. It is open to the public April through November and employs over 200 people throughout the season.
Dutch Gold Honey is a 67% woman owned business based in Lancaster. The company manufactures and processes pure honey and maple syrup. The family-owned business has 75 employees.
Based in Camp Hill, JEM Group provides construction services to the education, health care, affordable housing, corporate and retail, government and retail markets. The 75% woman owned business has 58 employees. It was founded 20 years ago.
A 100% woman owned business, Hall Media Solutions is an advertising agency handling multi-market, multi-state marketing campaigns. Founded in 1988, the agency is in Lancaster and has three employees.
Zimmerman’s Automotive Tire Pros is a 51% woman owned business in Mechanicsburg with 25 employees. Since 1958, the family-owned business has offered auto service, oil change services and auto sales.
Facility Concierge Services is a 100% woman owned business providing cleaning and facility maintenance services to commercial building and corporate headquarters, medical offices and schools. The Harrisburg based company has 90 employees and was founded in 2015 by Mary Calverley.
Primitives by Kathy is a home décor and gift business founded by CEO Kathy Phillips in 1997. Headquartered in Lancaster, the business has 108 employees in its four locations.
Strategic Consulting Partners is a full-service management consulting firm committed to shaping the future of the world by building organizational and leadership capacity for clients. The 100% woman owned business was founded 30 years ago. It is based in Mechanicsburg.
Fig Industries looks to create positive change for its clients and communities through meaningful and strategic brand development. The 24-year-old Lancaster company is 100% woman owned and employs 12 people.
Grief Relief, a 100% woman owned business in Wormleysburg, specializes in supporting individuals through grief and trauma. Its approach focuses on reflecting on the past and moving forward into the future–Looking Back/Living Forward. The five-year old business has 12 employees.
Greenlin Pet Resorts, a 74% woman owned business, provides doggie daycare; overnight lodging for puppies, dogs and cats; a puppy academy for puppy training, and dog training.
Translate Medical Spa and Wellness Center offers specialized non-surgical and non-invasive treatments, cosmetic services, weight management, and Intravenous Therapy. The one-year-old business, located in Manchester, is 100% woman owned and has two employees.
Susquehanna Civil Inc. is a majority (52%) woman-owned multi-service civil engineering and environmental consulting firm specializing in transportation infrastructure improvement projects. The firm, which is based in York, has 80 employees and has been in business 15 years.
Daniel Krieg is a 100% woman owned business focusing on commercial pavement maintenance. It’s headquartered in Harrisburg with a second office in York. It has 23 employees and serves central and eastern Pennsylvania as well as portions of Maryland.
According to its website, “Airborne Contamination Identification Associates is dedicated to serving the indoor air quality needs of today’s national marketplace with innovative concepts and products.
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