Meet the new North Central Portfolio Manager bringing more than 30 years of manufacturing experience to the region
For the businesses and economic development partners of North Central Pennsylvania, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA (BF CNP) has long been a source of funding, expertise, and connection. That commitment to the region is not changing. But the face behind it is.
After years of dedicated service as North Central Portfolio Manager, John Siggins will retire at the end of June. Siggins built lasting relationships across Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter counties, and his impact on the businesses and partners in the region is something the organization is proud to carry forward.
A Commitment to North Central PA
Craig D. Womeldorf, who has served as BF CNP’s Executive-in-Residence (EIR) focused on manufacturing and supply chain since 2021, will take on the North Central Portfolio Manager role alongside his existing responsibilities. With Womeldorf already embedded in the region as EIR, combining the two roles was a natural fit, and one that brings an additional layer of manufacturing and supply chain expertise to the portfolio manager position at a time when BF CNP is focused on growing its impact across North Central PA.
“North Central PA has exactly the kind of manufacturing and distribution businesses I have spent my career working alongside,” said Womeldorf. “My goal is simple: to make sure every company in this region knows what is available to them and has a real partner in figuring out how to use it. That is what BF CNP does, and it is what I am here to do.”
For businesses and partners across the region, that means a single point of contact who can open the door to BF CNP funding and services and bring hands-on manufacturing and supply chain experience to the table.
A Career Built in the Industry
Womeldorf has spent more than 30 years inside American manufacturing and distribution, leading companies through growth, turnaround, acquisition, and transformation at every scale. From a $5M OEM components manufacturer he co-owned and rebuilt from the ground up, to a $450M global manufacturer where he overhauled supply chain operations serving national retailers like The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and Amazon, his career covers the full spectrum of what American manufacturing looks like.
Along the way he has served as Chief Operating Officer at Bollman Hat Company; as CEO and COO at Morphy Auctions, where he doubled revenue by acquiring and integrating the company’s primary competitor; as Senior Vice President at Nexterus, a logistics provider serving manufacturers and distributors; and as President of three commercial boiler divisions at Burnham Holdings, where he launched a new product line and restored profitability. He began his career at Black & Decker Corporation, moving through sourcing, purchasing, product development, manufacturing supervision, and finance.
He holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a degree in Finance with Honors from Penn State University. He is also a Certified Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Roadmap Professional through CESMII, a methodology that helps manufacturers identify and implement the right technology, systems, and processes for their specific operation.
Since joining BF CNP in 2021, Womeldorf has evaluated more than 800 small and medium-sized businesses and worked directly with 32 companies on everything from strategic planning to hands-on operational improvement. He understands what manufacturers in Pennsylvania are up against, and he has spent the last four years building a track record of helping them move forward.
Pennsylvania Roots, North Central Ties
Womeldorf’s connection to this part of the state is not just professional. His paternal grandparents were born and raised in the small North Central communities of Timblin and New Bethlehem. And his Pennsylvania roots go even further back: Womeldorf is a seventh great-grandson of Daniel Womelsdorf, a Berks County papermaker who sold paper to Benjamin Franklin himself. The receipts are still preserved in the local historical society library.
Funding, Expertise, and Everything In Between
In his expanded role, Womeldorf brings BF CNP’s full suite of resources to North Central PA, with a particular emphasis on manufacturing and distribution companies of all sizes. As Portfolio Manager, he can connect businesses and partners to BF CNP funding programs designed to support technology adoption, and business development. As EIR, he offers something more direct: complete strategic planning and implementation support, Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Roadmap assessments tailored to each company’s specific needs, and project-specific help for defined operational, sourcing, or fulfillment challenges.
The combination of roles gives North Central PA businesses a single point of contact who can connect them to funding and bring the hands-on expertise to make the most of it.
Coming to the Region This Spring
Womeldorf will be traveling throughout North Central PA in May and June, meeting with economic development partners, ensuring a smooth handoff from Siggins, and learning more about the funding needs and opportunities specific to the region’s manufacturers. A broader communication to companies, partners, and legislators will follow later in the summer, informed by those conversations.
For economic development partners and businesses in the region interested in connecting with Womeldorf or learning more about what BF CNP can offer, he can be reached directly at:
Craig D. Womeldorf
craigwomeldorf@cnp.benfranklin.org
(717) 870-7944