Our Story

Rod E. Wilt

Executive Director

Rod brings over three decades of diverse experience to his role as Executive Director of Penn-Northwest, drawing from his background in government, finance, and real estate.

A local to Mercer County with education from Greenville High School and Thiel College, he spent his early career at financial institutions including First National Bank in Hermitage, PA, and served five terms in the PA House of Representatives.

Since 2008, he has been involved in the acquisition and management of over 3,500 multi-family apartment units. Rod also brings to PNDC six years of experience in legislative outreach, issues education and government relations from his experience working with several clients in the oil & gas, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries, as well as serving as the Chair of the Thiel College Board of Trustees.

Gary T. Dovey

VP, Business Development, PNDC

Gary Dovey is a senior development, recruitment, and land planning executive with a successful 15-year record of assisting communities by attracting and financing industries that create family-wage sustaining jobs.

Gary has served with communities and businesses in the counties of Butler, Clearfield, Crawford, Jefferson, Mercer and Venango in Pennsylvania. He excels in land planning and recruitment strategies, expanding industries and building/filling industrial parks.

Gary holds a BS in Public Administration from Slippery Rock University and stands ready to meet your expansion/relocation needs. He looks forward to helping your business grow in Mercer County.

Melinda Bowen-Houck

Director of Marketing

Melinda Bowen-Houck is a native of Youngstown, Ohio and graduated from Youngstown State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the Williamson College of Business.

Previously, she worked for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Mahoning Valley & Western PA, WYSU 88.5 FM, and Simon Roofing and Sheet Metal.

Melinda brings extensive public relations, events planning, fundraising, grant writing and organizational skills to Penn-Northwest.

Kerri Ericksen

Office Administrator

Kerri has joined the Penn-Northwest Development Corporation team as Office Administrator and Project Coordinator, bringing over two decades of experience from her family's manufacturing business in Reynolds Industrial Park.

Her expertise spans office administration, project management, and collaborative endeavors with many of PNDC’s members and industry sectors.

Before her tenure in the family business, Kerri honed her customer engagement and sales skills at Winner International, interacting with clients daily and gaining essential experience in customer relations.

Ellen Pardee

Project Coordinator

Ellen is a long-time resident of Mercer County. She graduated from Lakeview High School and earned a Multi-Disciplinary Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Counseling, starting at Clarion University and finishing at Liberty University.

Joining Greenville Area Economic Development Corporation in May 2018, she quickly advanced to Director by August 2019.

As Mercer County's ENGAGE! representative, Ellen is active in various boards including United Way, Shenango Valley Enterprise Zone, and others. She's also involved with Penn-Northwest's Sites Committee, the local Chamber of Commerce, and economic development groups. Her broad work background, combined with strong interpersonal and event-planning skills, fuels her dedication to the region, benefiting local business and workforce development.

Jake Rickert

Associate Executive Director

Jake Rickert is a home grown local, born and raised in Greenville, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Penn-State Shenango with a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications.

Prior to Penn-Northwest, Jake served in the United States Army for four years. He currently services in the National Guard as a Staff Sergeant for an Infantry Company. His knowledge of external and internal communications, strategic analysis, and public relations assists in his efforts towards workforce development, the Future Leaders, and the revitalization of Mercer County.

He plans to continue his education through federal and state level grant writing courses. Jake is excited to begin his career in economic development and looks forward to helping Mercer County flourish with the staff at Penn-Northwest!

Jane Goniea

Administrative Assistant

Jane Goniea is a new Mercer County transplant and Penn-Northwest Development Corporation's new administrative assistant, working as assistant to the office administrator and staff.

Jane graduated from Grove City College with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. During her time at college, she worked in various administrative and project management roles, including a research project for Clarion County EDC. After graduation, she and her husband moved to Sharon, Pennsylvania, where she interned and was subsequently hired at PNDC.

She looks forward to growing ties within the county, both as a part of her job and as a member of the community.

Ligaya Kurelko

Assistant Director of Workforce Development

Ligaya Kurelko was born and raised in Mercer County, Pennsylvania and graduated from Hickory High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications and obtained certifications in Diversity Studies and International Cultures Studies at Penn-State University, Shenango Campus. Ligaya worked in healthcare and as a veterinary assistant during her time in college.

Her knowledge of internal and external communications, strategic planning, marketing, and public relations assists in her efforts towards the workforce development of Mercer County. She plans on furthering her education in Corporate Communications to enhance and develop her knowledge in creating innovative ways to support our community.