Retro Dough co-founder John Carsia steps into new role at Kitchen Incubator to support fellow food entrepreneurs
The Hazleton Kitchen Incubator is excited to announce that John Carsia, co-founder of Retro Dough: Pierogi and Specialty Foods, LLC, has been named its new Kitchen Manager. As both a current tenant and now a resource to others, John is uniquely positioned to support fellow food entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses.
A Hazle Twp. native, Carsia joined the Hazleton Kitchen in 2023 to bring his longtime culinary dream to life through Retro Dough, a nostalgic food business focused on pierogi, Italian cookies, and small-scale event catering. Now, in his new role, he’ll help others navigate the same journey he’s on: offering support with compliance, scheduling, kitchen operations, and more.
Jocelyn Sterenchock, Director of Economic Development at Greater Hazleton CAN DO, Inc., has been named the recipient of the Bill McNally Mentor of the Year Award, presented by tecBRIDGE. She will be honored at the tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition Awards event on May 1st at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre.
During the 2025 tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition, four of the eight teams in the live presentation round were from the Greater Hazleton Area. Three local participants – Karlii Laurel, Lilah Sharkey, and Jaylnn Toohil, all from the Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences – created AveraJewels, a discreet, stylish line of GPS-enabled jewelry designed to enhance personal safety by allowing wearers to stay connected and protected at all times. To celebrate this incredible showing, we caught up with them to learn more about their journeys.
During the 2025 tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition, half of the teams who advanced to the live presentation round were from the Greater Hazleton Area. Sharan Parikh and Rishi Patel, both of MMI Preparatory School, created HealthHue, the first biodegradable, color-changing bandage made from bamboo and hemp that uses turmeric to detect infections early, offering an eco-friendly, affordable solution for better wound care. We caught up with them to learn more about the experience so far.