Many who have lived their lives in the Johnstown region would say that the demise of Bethlehem Steel was the end of the line for the local economy.

But the end of our one-industry era actually served as the beginning of a new age in the Cambria-Somerset marketplace.

As you will read today and April 13 in our annual Progress pages, technology has replaced steel as the driver of our region’s financial system.

Technology brought the seeds of defense contracting to the Johnstown region more than 20 years ago, and technology is fueling remarkable growth in that area today.

Technology is the lifeblood of our burgeoning health-care industry, from Windber Research Institute to the Conemaugh Health System’s Greater Johnstown Technology Park – as well as centers specializing in cancer, diabetes and other concerns.

The availability of advancing technology has also meant the arrival of many smaller companies led by visionaries who are using bytes and hook-ups to chase the dream of entrepreneurism.

Ours is a region moving forward.

While it may be a misnomer to suggest that the loss of big steel was a good thing, we can celebrate our shift to a more diverse – and less vulnerable – economic base.

And we must celebrate the opportunities for start-up businesses here – new and emerging companies that are not encumbered by space and time.

“With king steel and coal in place, the thought of going into business for yourself didn’t exist – except when it came to complementary businesses like retail and restaurants,” Linda Thomson, president of Johnstown Area Regional Industries, says in today’s Progress edition. “We had to look at how to be more entrepreneurial and grow from the inside.

“That’s exactly what we’re seeing today.”

Even local government understands the importance of technology to our future. Both the Cambria and Somerset county governments have made increasing access to technology, especially the Internet, high priorities.

It all adds up to a reason for optimism.

“It’s really challenging to have to depend upon one industry,” employment expert Bill Findley said. “The diversification just opened this area up to be more in line with what’s going on across the state and the country.”

While we celebrate the “big” companies that are thriving locally because of technology – the likes of Concurrent Technologies Corp., JWF Industries and the Conemaugh system – we also celebrate the smaller organizations that are finding their footing here and creating jobs in our communities.

Advances in technology – and advances locally in the availability of key technology – have produced the likes of ITSI Biosciences, In-Shore Technologies, Problem Solutions and dozens of others you can read about today and next Sunday.

And technology has created the opportunity for individuals to live in our great region – enjoying our beautiful terrain and savor all the region has to offer – and work with clients based hundreds or thousands of miles away. Telecommuting is alive and well in our area, making it viable for folks to reside here, pay taxes here, raise their kids here – even if their jobs are elsewhere.

The great thing about a technology-based economy? It can only get better.

As technology expands and changes, we can expand and change right along with it.

New companies will pop up, and existing companies will evolve and grow as well.

The is an exciting time in the Greater Johnstown region – a new age of economic Progress.