Jean-Pierre (JP) Habets

JP was born in Belgium and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1976.  His early career was as a mechanical engineer but he soon began his own engineering consulting business which eventually morphed into his current business, H&W Global Industries.  H&W Global, has grown under his guidance from a two-person company in 2002 to a 47,000 square foot facility employing approximately 38 people in 2018.  

Throughout his lifetime, JP has always had a strong interest in aviation and space.  He served in Civil Air Patrol for many years during which he became an Instrument-certified Pilot as well as an Expert Ranger in search and rescue, with a focus on educating young cadets to become responsible citizens who help others.  This interest led to his participation in the Challenger project.

All the while, though building the company has been quite time-consuming, JP has always found time for volunteer activities.He is a proud member of the Indiana County Manufacturers Consortium, the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board, the Tri-County Career Track, and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Chemistry Advisory Board.Over the past two years, he has served as the Chair for the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Extension Program (PA MEP), part of a national organization with funding oversight.