A college and career fair for all high school students in Butler County and their parents will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Butler High School cafeteria.

Twenty-six county corporations, manufacturers, skilled trade apprentice programs and health providers, professional services and others will be there to talk about where jobs of the future will be.

Students also can talk with representatives of more than 60 colleges, trade and technical schools.

The Butler County Counselors Association and the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board is sponsoring the event, which is endorsed by the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Butler County.

For information, contact school counselors or the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board at 724-282-9341.

BC3 president gets Pacesetter awardBUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College President Nick Neupauer has been named a regional Pacesetter award winner by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.The award recognizes leaders with communications expertise.Neupauer said he is honored to receive the award in District 1, which includes leaders of community colleges and technical schools in New England, Maryland and Pennsylvania.“I am humbled ... I have emphasized communication with our internal, external, and really, media audiences ever since I’ve been president in 2007,” Neupauer said. “This award would indicate we’re doing a very good job in providing solid communication skills to all of those groups.”He was nominated by BC3 spokeswoman Susan Changnon. Neupauer will accept his award at a regional conference in Mystic, Conn., next month, along with Changnon.He is among seven regional winners who will be considered for the national NCMPR Pacesetter award next year.

Small business grants extendedHARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has extended the deadline for small business owners to apply for the agency’s Small Business Advantage Grants. The new deadline is Oct. 8.Businesses may apply for 50 percent matching funds of up to $9,500 to adopt or to acquire energy-efficient or pollution-prevention equipment or procedures.Funding is eligible for costs between July 8, 2013, and June 30, 2014.For information or to apply, visit www.dep.state.pa.us., call 717-772-8909 or e-mail epadvantagegrant@pa.gov.

PERSONNEL FILERenee Decker, government contracting specialist at Slippery Rock University’s Government Contracting Assistance Office, has earned U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs certified verification counselor status.The assistance office helps businesses seek federal, state and local government contracting.As a VA certified verification counselor, she will provide verification assistance to veteran and disabled veteran-owned businesses interested in selling their products or services to the VA.