Cranberry’s MSA Boasts Business and Citizen of the Year

Both Cranberry’s Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year can be found in one spot—Mine Safety Appliances.

At Thursday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, MSA was unveiled as the Cranberry Township Community Chest and regional Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year.

Dennis Zeitler, the Cranberry company’s vice president and treasurer, was named the community’s Citizen of the Year.

Township manager Jerry Andree described MSA, which is located in—and owns—the 372-acre Cranberry Woods Business Park off Route 228, as a huge supporter of the township.

This is the second time in its 30-year history MSA has been named the township’s Business of the Year.

Cranberry officials cited the company’s vision for Cranberry Woods, part of the Cranberry comprehensive plan of 1995, as a world-class business park that would attract and retain highly skilled workers as one of its reasons for naming the company its business of the year.

“Although MSA owned some of Cranberry’s most attractive undeveloped land adjacent to I-79 and Rt. 228, it adhered to that vision, spurning offers to sell portions of the 300-plus acres surrounding its Cranberry Woods manufacturing and research facilities for the construction of a high-traffic shopping center—a use that was deemed inconsistent with the vision of a first-rate technology park,” a statement from Cranberry said. 

Today, Cranberry Woods is home to nearly 8,000 employees. 

“Its businesses vitality has formed a foundation for continuing economic growth, generating thousands of additional supplier and support jobs throughout the region,” the Cranberry statement said.  

MSA continues to contribute to the area’s economic vitality—including efforts to ease traffic.

Last year, MSA donated land worth more than $3 million for the construction of a connecting roadway from the Cranberry Woods Business Park to the rapidly developing northern side of Route 228.  

Citizen of the Year

Cranberry officials said Zeitler was instrumental in implementing the long-term strategy leading to the success of Cranberry Woods.

His accomplishments include attracting Marriott to license Butler County’s first full-service hotel and conference center at the entrance to the business park. 

He also worked closely with the presidents of Slippery Rock University and Butler County Community College to create the innovative Regional Learning Alliance, a state-of-the-art learning facility that’s home dozens of programs.

More recently, Zeitler structured the land acquisition that allowed for the construction of a connecting road between Cranberry Woods and the northern side of Route 228.

“Each of those steps has been consistent with the idea of attracting the knowledge workers of 21st century industries into the Cranberry area and providing high quality employment for the region’s workforce,” a statement from the township said.  

Zeitler also managed the sale of property within Cranberry Woods for the construction of a new residential community called the Apartments of Cranberry Woods.

In February, Cranberry officials approved plans for the apartment and townhome community, which also will include some retail developments, pedestrian trails and a small amphitheater.

Previous Citizens of the Year include Chris DeCree and Dave Berneberg in 2009, Cathy Cortazzo in 2010, Mike Sherry in 2011 and Frank Petrone in 2012.

Previous Business of the Year honorees include Mashuda Corporation in 2009, UPMC in 2011 and Freedom Diner in 2012.