Jim McKain, of Penn United Technologies, discusses current job openings with Barry Hoppe at a job fair hosted by the UAW Local 3303 Union Hall on Friday. The job fair was attended by many individuals who previously worked for XPER, formerly Ibis Tek. Molly Miller/Butler Eagle

Forty-four organizations gathered to recruit former XPER employees and other unemployed community members at a job fair Friday afternoon.

The event was conceptualized by former XPER employee John Lowrey, who helped get the word out to others who were recently laid off by the company. The Butler County Chamber of Commerce, Community Development Corporation of Butler County (CDC, Tri-County Workforce Investment Board, Butler County Community College Workforce Development, Clinton Township and Butler County all contributed to making the job fair a reality.

The job fair showcased many local manufacturing companies, said Caitlin Lokhaiser, marketing and communication specialist for the chamber and CDC.

“We definitely sent a message to all employees from XPER, but this was open to the public,” she said of the fair. “We’ve had every (background) from IT, sales to laborers — it has been a wide variety.”

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