Story below as published in the Altoona Mirror by Conner Goetz on June 12, 2025
Government leaders and business executives gathered for the 609th Blair County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Club to reflect on the economic growth of 2025 and to look forward to the remainder of 2026.
According to Blair Alliance President/CEO Steve McKnight, who spoke during a panel discussion at the Blair County Convention Center on Thursday morning, 2025 was a “major year” for the local economy.
The chamber helped Blair County businesses attract more than $82 million in capital investment, retain more than 400 workers and create 32 new jobs last year, McKnight said.
According to an informational packet distributed by the chamber, health care, logistics, management and IT jobs were the top in demand sectors.
McKnight said that 2025 was notable for the number of small businesses “stepping up” and making investments to expand their operations.
Despite market uncertainty and turbulence at the state and federal government level, McKnight’s overall outlook for 2026 is “cautiously optimistic.”
McKnight said that “adaptive reuse” will become more important heading into the new year.
Adaptive reuse in development means taking existing properties, buildings and/or land and finding creative ways to repurpose them so their utility increases.
The amount of untouched, non-farmland in Blair County is shrinking, McKnight said, so integrating adaptive reuse principles into upcoming projects will be key.
Read the full story in the Altoona Mirror: https://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2026/01/blair-chamber-county-leaders-discuss-growth/
