CRANBERRY TWP — Traco, a window and door manufacturer with facilities in Cranberry Township, as well as Tennessee, Iowa and Georgia, has been awarded the Crystal Achievement Award sponsored by Glass Magazine.

Traco, celebrating its 65th anniversary this year, won the award for the most innovative Web site in the large company category.

Traco has 1,800 employees nationwide and has designed and replaced windows in the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.

LONDON — Bob Oltmanns, president of Skutski & Oltmanns, a public relations firm in Pittsburgh, is one of 10 American co-authors of, "Crisis Communication: Practical PR Strategies for Reputation Management and Company Survival."According to a news release from IPREX, Worldwide Communication, the book is meant for a wide management audience including board of trustees, marketers, human relations specialists and public relations people.Oltmanns lives in Cranberry Township.

Two long-time members of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County Advisory Council are stepping down at the end of their terms.Linda Burkley of Ardis Communications and Jack Whitmer, retired from the American Automobile Association, will have served six years on the council as they step down at the end of this year.Lisa Guard, owner of Specialized Staffing in Butler, Mike Robb, executive director of the Center for Community Resources, and Donna Smith a Butler resident and mother, are joining the council.The council's 2009 officers are: Joe LoBue, president; Larry Cicco, vice president; Gina Loebell, secretary; and Mike Franko, treasurer.

DETROIT — General Motors says it will lay off about 2,000 more factory workers early next year as the U.S. auto sales slump continues to wreak havoc on domestic automakers.Spokesman Chris Lee says the company will cut shifts at car factories in Lordstown, Ohio; Orion Township, Mich.; and Oshawa, Ontario, in February due to slowing demand for their products.Lee said the company plans to lay off 890 workers at the Lordstown, Ohio, plant and 390 jobs on Feb. 2 at Orion Township. Another 700 workers will be laid off in Oshawa on Feb. 9.Lordstown makes the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 small cars.The Orion plant makes the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 sedans and Oshawa makes the Chevrolet Impala.