BITS OF BUSINESS

Medical center reports growth

Nick Malawskey

This past week the Mount Nittany Medical Center board of trustees held its annual meeting to deliver a “state of the hospital” address.

In the 1960s, these meetings apparently drew crowds by the hundreds as the community debated the future of health care in Centre County.

On Monday, the crowd was not so large, nor was the debate very heated — probably because the news shared by the board appeared pretty positive overall.

Admissions at the hospital were up in 2008 (reaching 12,616), as were outpatient visits and the number of total surgical cases.

The medical center provided more than $4 million in charitable donations; generated a net income after expenses of more than $16 million; held $228 million in assets and $141 million in liabilities.

The board noted the start of the multimillion-dollar east wing expansion project, the recent affiliation with Penn State and Hershey Medical Center and continued capital investment in equipment upgrades. “We

continue to make advances,” said Carl Raup, chairman of the board of trustees, who thanked the staff of the hospital for their hard work over the year.

Meanwhile, said a hospital spokeswoman, the search for a successor for former President and CEO Thomas Murray, who left the hospital in May, continues.

Economic summit on tap

Last week the Mount Nittany board of trustees met to look back at the past year. Next week, SCORE Central Pennsylvania will host a symposium to discuss the current and future economic issues facing central Pennsylvania businesses.

Presenters are scheduled to include Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard Township, and speakers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, FranNet, business lawyers and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Registration is required and more information for the Oct. 13 event, including a registration form, is online at www.scorecpa.org.

Rey Azteca on the way

And last, a quick update on the Rey Azteca restaurant that I mentioned a few weeks back. Everyone I know has been asking: “When will it open?”

Well, I have it on good authority that the owners, who also operate the Rey Azteca restaurant in Johnstown, plan this fall to renovate the old Country Buffet building in the Big Lots shopping center, off Benner Pike.

Their targeted opening date for the eatery itself: December or early January of next year.

Nick Malawskey can bereached at 235-3928.