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Despite the downward spiral of the nation�s economy, Pittsburgh leaders express optimism that the region�s job performance showed strength in September.
While the full impact of the national economy has yet to be measured locally, PittsburghToday reports that the 2008 September job figures posted a record high compared to a national trend of declining jobs. PT's figures are based on the latest U.S. Dept. of Labor statistics.
Pittsburgh gained 7,000 jobs between September 2007 and September 2008 while many major metropolitan regions lost tens of thousands of jobs. In addition, September 2008 was the first time the region had more jobs than prior to the 2001-2002 recession. �The Pittsburgh region continues to buck the national trend,� says Harold Miller, president of Future Strategies LLC. �Although the job data were gathered before the recent Wall St. meltdown, the two major industries driving our economy � health care and higher education � will probably not be affected significantly. Even UPMC�s reduction in employees last week, while very unfortunate, leaves health care with hundreds more jobs than it had a year ago.�
In times like these, people need to read the numbers carefully, leaders add. PittsburghToday attempts to explain the often muddled number game that can distort what's going on in cities in transition like Pittsburgh.
For example, a region�s unemployment rate is a terrible indicator of labor force growth or loss, says Miller. Technically it could signal either total jobs lost or gained or an increase or decline in the number of people looking for work. Seasonal adjustments, like the typical back-to-school drop in employment in the fall, contribute to misunderstandings.
�In times like these we need to be very cautious and not jump to any conclusions,� notes John Craig, president of Pittsburgh Regional Indicators. �If this is a recession, Pittsburgh compared to other places is rather well placed. We have a unique history of our own and it remains to be seen what we will see.�
To read the Pop City story on PittsburghToday, click here.Writer: Deb SmitSource: John Craig, Pittsburgh Today; Harold Miller, Future Strategies
The ever widening swath of green continues to spread throughout our region with a number of new initiatives, programs, even a glog.The City of Pittsburgh has created a new staff position, a sustainability coordinator for a new Office of Sustainability and Energy Efficiency. Lindsay Baxter, who assisted on mapping the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, will help propel the region toward continued green growth. She was a former member of the group Clean Air-Cool Planet.
�We made great strides to reduce our city�s carbon footprint, and we will continue to do what it takes to help our region create green collar jobs and improve our residents� quality of life,� says Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.
University of Pittsburgh student Paul Trichon has created a green blog, or glog, a social networking site that connects users and helps to increase environmental awareness. Check it out here.Chatham University has purchased a 2009 Toyota Prius police car. The purchase was one of several green initiatives recently launched at the school.
The university�s new Eden Hall Farm Campus in Richland Township serves as a living laboratory for students studying women and environmental sustainability. In addition, Chatham serves locally-grown, hormone-free food in its dining hall and waste is composted through a pilot project with Parkhurst and Agrecycle Inc. of Pittsburgh.
Kudos to Palate Partners and Dreadnought Wines in the Strip District who are helping local businesses to go greener, encouraging the use of real plates and glass instead of styrofoam containers and helping businesses to recycle. A $200,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments will sponsor the Allegheny River Stewardship Project, a community based environmental health program that studies water contamination in the Allegheny River, a flagship program of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health�s Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC).
Writer: Deb SmitSources: Mayor Luke Ravenstahl; Walt Fowler, Chatham University; Deb Mortillaro, Palate Partners; Tim Koncewicz; Heinz Endowments
2008 National Park(ing) Day project by artist Sean Derry
�It�s called a no-budget film,� he explains. �Many Pittsburgh people did us favors, gave us things for free. Everyone worked for free, which is a pretty big deal for a crew of 5 and cast of 40.�
The 25-year-old 2005 Robert Morris University graduate wrote, directed and produced the script for �The Korean,� a 98-minute fast-paced film about a mob cleaner who hunts down four associates that have betrayed his boss. The film, features a local cast and crew, filmed here and has attracted the attention of several large studios. It also won the �Best Action Feature Film� at the AOF Film Festival in Pasadena.
Pittsburgh will have an opportunity to see the local premiere at this year�s Three Rivers International Film Festival.
Starring Josiah D. Lee, from the TV series �Lost� and the movie �Collateral� with Tom Cruise, the movie follows a non-sequential story line similar to �Pulp Fiction,� Dixon says. Scenes were shot in 30 different locations including Glassport, Moon, Station Square and downtown Pittsburgh.
The movie was wrapped up in six days this summer, despite a searing heatwave and a rainstorm. Post production was done at Mogul Mind with the help of John Yost, who also appears in the film.
Large distributors are reviewing the film and Dixon expects it will be released in 2009 on DVD and Video on Demand.
The screenings are open to the public. For showtimes, click here and scroll down.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Tom DixonImage courtesy The Korean Production Office
Seven companies and a CEO received Tech 50 Awards during an elegant ceremony at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. Featured speaker and Pittsburgh native Regis McKenna, Silicon Valley marketing guru and author, offered sage words as the community strives to take its place among global leaders of technology.
�Innovation today requires a community and culture of big and small companies and universities working together,� McKenna noted. �The most innovative product development comes from companies that are less than 5 years old with less than 250 employees. Small companies become the incubators of larger companies.�
McKenna, whose high-tech marketing firm helped to rocket startups like Apple, America Online and Genentech to the top, encouraged the region to work together to embrace the innovative spirit of entrepreneurs.
PTC Council President and CEO Audrey Russo (see this week's Pop City story on her here) applauded the region�s efforts this year and reflected on the future of renewable energy and biotechnology for the region.
�As the world looks for clean technology, so they will increasingly look toward Pittsburgh,� she said. �If we get it right, Pittsburgh�s brightest days are just around the corner.�
This year�s winners of the 12th annual Tech 50 Awards included:
For a complete listing of the Tech 50 nominees, click here.
To receive Pop City free each week, click here.Writer: Deb SmitSource: Audrey Russo and Kevin Lane, PTC, Regis McKenna, Regis McKenna Inc.
The new online magazine is the ninth and latest publication created by Detroit-based Issue Media Group, a company dedicated to promoting an alternative urban narrative in cities and regions from Michigan to Pennsylvania and beyond. Pop City Media was among the first e-zines launched by IMG more than 2 years ago. Other publications include Metromode in Southeast Michigan, SoapBox in Cincinnati and Capital Gains in Lansing.
Keystone Edge promises the latest news on emerging tech sectors and industries in Pennsylvania. The e-zine is available for free by email each Thursday and will feature fresh, original writing, creative photography, videos and blogs as it highlights innovative new businesses, cool places to live and creative people behind the scenes across the state. "Alternative energy, robotics, advanced healthcare, sustainable building and urban design�these are the industries of the future and we want to show where and how they are emerging here in Pennsylvania,� says John Davidson, managing editor. �There's a lot to cover." In addition to Davidson, who is based in Philadelphia, the staff includes Joseph Plummer, a former Pittsburgh Post Gazette editor and Pittsburgh Technology Council executive, and Michael Persico, a Philadelphia-based freelance photographer. "We speak to, and with, the leaders of the future economy," adds Brian Boyle, publisher of KE and co-founder of IMG. "Keystone Edge is about challenging how you see your state and its future." To receive Keystone Edge free each week, click here.Writer: Deb SmitSource: John Davidson, Keystone Edge; Brian Boyle, Issue Media Group
The company�s flagship product, Virtuoso, records television and audio content on mobile devices just like a DVR. �What makes us unique is our product�s ability to pre-deliver a show to a phone, store it and play it out later,� explains Adam Berger, president and CEO. �Competitors require the user to be in a network area with cell coverage. It�s the difference between watching TV live or stored.�
Penthera, an Innovation Works company, was founded in 2007 by former employees of Nokia. The company is the fifth startup of Pittsburgh entrepreneur Sam Leinhardt, Penthera�s board chairman, and the second for Berger who worked with Leinhardt on a former Oakland startup, Eizel Technology.
Virtuoso, in beta mode for the past year, is the first consumer-grade product to roll out to network providers who will offer the service directly to subscribers. The technology supports all major smartphones and portable media players and operates over multiple IP delivery networks.
Penthera employs 15 people and plans to hire several more, software developers and engineers and business and sales people, although the company tends to hire whenever the right person comes along, Berger says.
�While there are certainly advantages and disadvantages to starting a tech company anywhere, if I had a choice this is exactly where we can best achieve our goals,� Berger says. �This is my second company founded in a telecom space and I can�t say enough about the ability to hire and retain top technical talent here.�
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Adam Berger, Penthera Partners
Image courtesy Penthera Partners
Pittsburgh area doctors have an opportunity to access to the latest in electronic health record technology through a revolutionary program being offered in the region.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (PRHI) are launching a 5-year project that will demonstrate to physicians the benefits of using state-of-the-art health record technology and give them a chance to earn almost $60,000 in incentives. The Pittsburgh region is one of four locations in the country selected for the program by CMS.
�Just imagine the quality care we can provide if every person involved in a patient�s care could access his or her health records at a moment�s notice, and also chart progress on their health status. PRHI adamantly believes that Electronic Health Records can elevate our healthcare system,� says Dr. Karen Wolk Feinstein, president, CEO and founder of PRHI.
Any primary care practice in Southwestern PA with 20 or fewer providers is eligible. Highmark is also making $29 million available to help practices purchase and/or implement the new technology. The application process is underway and runs through November 26th.
Electronic health records gives doctors and medical professionals access to information across a broad spectrum, connecting laboratories, pharmacies, hospitals, even patients with information. The system can be critical in the treatment and management of chronic diseases, streamline processes and reduce medical errors.
For more information on the EHR demonstration or to apply for the program, click here or call 412-594-2554.
To receive Pop City every week, click here.Writer: Deb SmitSource: Karen Wolk Feinstein, PRHI
An Ohio artist who helped to design the Allegheny Riverfront Park, an environmental leader and a molecular biologist in search of a cure for malaria are among the five people named as The Heinz Awards winners this week.
The coveted $250,000 prize, given by the Pittsburgh-based Heinz Family Foundation, recognizes individual excellence as well as qualities of the heart and mind. Awarded to those who�ve made a substantial contribution in one of five areas, it is among the largest individual achievement prizes in the world.
�The awards are important reminder for the region of the life of Sen. John Heinz,� says Kim O�Dell, director The Heinz Awards. �As future generations emerge fewer people will know of his life�s work, which is reflected by these recipients.�The recipients this year include:
Arts and Humanities: Ann Hamilton of Columbus, Ohio, a provocative visual artist whose local projects include the design of the Allegheny Riverfront Park in Pittsburgh as well as several sculptures and the handrail there.
Environment: Thomas FitzGerald, founder and director of the Kentucky Resources Council, an environmental advocacy organization that promotes environmental responsibility and protects citizens from harm.
Human Condition: Brenda Krause Eheart, founder of Generations of Hope and Hope Meadows in Champaign, Illinois, an intergenerational neighborhood that brings together foster children, adoptive parents and seniors.
Public Policy: Robert Greenstein, founder and executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which analyzes the impact of federal and state budgets on low- and moderate- income families.
Technology, the Economy and Employment: Joseph DeRisi, a molecular biologist, researcher and inventor from San Francisco who is working to crack the genetic code for malaria.To receive Pop City each week, click here.Writer: Deb SmitSource: Kim O'Dell, Russ Martz, The Heinz Family Foundation
While the national economy continued to slide in July, Pittsburgh�s regional job rate showed solid growth, posting better gains than many benchmark regions in the country according to the Pittsburgh Regional Indicators.
The Pittsburgh region reported 4,300 more jobs in July 2008 compared to July 2007 and had higher job growth than 8 out of 14 benchmark regions, including Cleveland, Detroit and St. Louis. Private sector jobs totaled $1,035,600 in July, an increase of 5,400 over July 2007. Only five benchmark cities added private jobs at a higher rate. To read the latest figures in PittsburghToday, click here.
�I think the numbers are very encouraging,� says John Craig, president of Pittsburgh Regional Indicators. �From the very beginning we said we want to measure jobs. Compared to what is going on nationally and among benchmark cities, we�re doing relatively well.�
While the Pittsburgh population has been on the decline, the number of people employed in our region is rising due in part to changes in traditional work practices. �Our labor force is getting back up to being very close to the best days we�ve had in 2001,� Craig adds.
Among the positive notes was the acceleration in Leisure and Hospitality and Administrative and Support Services jobs. Nearly 2,800 jobs were added in these two sectors. Additionally, the Education and Health Services sector continued to post gains, having created 5,300 new jobs in the last 12 months.
Pittsburgh economic prognosticator and columnist Harold Miller agrees in part. �It certainly puts us in a better position than places (in the country) that lose jobs. Part of the reason we�ve stayed ahead is because such a big proportion of our jobs are in healthcare and higher education, economic sectors that are resistant (to a recession).�
The numbers, of course, can be daunting. Meet John Craig and Harold Miller and learn what the numbers really mean at the next CityLIVE event on September 10th.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: John Craig, Harold Miller, Pittsburgh Regional Indicators
Bartering, the world�s oldest form of commercial enterprise, has taken an online twist.
Pittsburgh-based Green Apple Barter Services offers customers an opportunity to swap goods and services, trading everything ffrom surplus inventory to heat exchangers, vacations, even meals at local restaurants. The online company, founded by Michael Krane in 1991, manages $4 million in bartering activity for more than 1,500 clients from Boston to Honolulu.
GAB works like a bank, awarding sellers with credits for goods sold that can be turned around to buy other products and services offered by GAB. The company has moved a total volume of almost $58 million.
For example, when the Firehouse Lounge on the South Side needed a new roof deck, they went to GAB who helped them find a deck company who installed it on trade. The whole deal was sealed with credits, says Justin Krane, director of marketing.
What sets GAB apart from other online sellers is its team of brokers who bring buyers and sellers together to seal deals. GAB employs 15 people in its two offices at its distribution center in the North Hills and administration center on the South Side.�Most (bartering) companies rely on the Internet to put things together,� Krane adds. �We�ve found we need that direct contact to service people�s needs.�
Large and small companies and individual sellers are welcome. For Pittsburgh traders, credits can pay for a meal at one of 90 local restaurants. �With the economy being a bit long and tall, it�s often better for a company to buy something on trade credits rather than spend the money,� says Krane.
Writer: Sara Brown and Debra SmitSource: Michael and Justin Krane, Green Apple Bartering Services
Image courtesy Green Apple Barter Services
Pennsylvania�s efforts to develop and diversify its biotechnology sector have made it the number one state in the nation, pulling in ahead of hotbeds like California and Massachusetts, says Business Facilities magazine.
BF gave Pa. the top slot in its latest edition. In 2007, Pa. notched fifth in the nation for the most educated workforce and was also noted as having the nation�s third-largest number of colleges and universities. The state was also ranked as the seventh largest cyberstate, according to the American Electronics Association (AeA).
The ranking identified more than 20 key criteria, including the amount of state R&D funding and venture capital investments; the level of concentrated occupational employment in biotech; tax exemptions and university grant funding.
Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse CEO John Manzetti says he isn�t surprised to see the state in the top tier considering the success he has witnessed in the Pittsburgh region. �Anyone in the top 10 can consider themselves a leader in biotechnology and I think we are.
�There�s no doubt that our numbers are spectacular,� he adds. �PLSG is adding three companies a month into our portfolio, which means we�ve unearthed a company or technology where an entrepreneur has an idea to do something. Or we get calls from the outside.�
The Life Sciences Greenhouse Initiative has, since 2001, invested more than $36.5 million in more than 170 projects. Additionally, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a statewide network that catalyzes entrepreneurship and technological innovation, leveraged $675 million and created and retained 2,475 jobs.
PLSG has invested $11.5 million directly into 50 local companies and raised $15.2 million in venture funding since its inception. One of its companies, Precision Therapeutics, is on its way to securing $31 million in venture funding this week (see the Pop City story here).
�There are clearly a lot of promising companies out there,�
says Sean McDonald, CEO of Precision Therapeutics. �It�s like what happened in
the IT and robotic sector, we need one of two companies to breakthrough and be
successful and it will grease the way for others coming through. We certainly
are aspiring to that.�
Writer: Debra SmitSource: John Manzetti, PLSG
Called Virtual Wallet, the tool offers the latest patent-pending technologies aimed at helping Gen Yers plan, save and eliminate costly financial mistakes. This hi-def way of looking at personal finances is not just for the newly initiated in the banking world. Internet savvy customers may benefit as well.
�We went through a lot of pains to design this for the Gen Y user,� explains Michael Ley, vice president of the e-Business division. �It�s very easy to set up and very bill-centric. I think this innovation will change how online banking is viewed.�
A national study finds that people between the ages of 21 and 30 tend to be spendthrifts while managing loan debt from college. A calendar allows users to track their money in three linked accounts�spend, reserve and growth. The reserve account serves as overdraft protection while the savings account encourages short and long-term savings.
Features like �Money Bar� transfers between accounts and �Danger Days� helps to avoid overdraft fees. Want to save some money? �Punch the Pig� places a preset amount aside in savings.
Users may open an account with a minimum of $25 and there is no minimum balance requirement. The savings account offers a yield of 3 percent. PNC hopes to offer mobile bill paying in the future.
�We found that many of these users are just out of college, living paycheck to paycheck,� Ley adds. �By aligning our offering with a mental makeup on banking and reserves, it helps their money to grow.�
For a preview on Virtual Banking, click here.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: Michael Ley, Gina Villiotti, PNC
Image courtesy PNC
A dozen Pittsburgh startups have received an infusion of funding so far this year.
Cohera Medical Inc., makers of a line of wound management products and surgical adhesives, has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant of $1.5 million for the ongoing development of TissuGlu, a novel surgical adhesive for application in plastic surgery.
RE2, Inc., a leading developer of robotic manipulation systems, has received an estimated $745,000 SBIR program grant from the U.S. Navy to develop a manipulation system for mobile robots engaged in the disposal of explosives. Innovation Works reports four companies that recently received funding:Penthera Partners, providers of mobile service delivery systems over multiple IP markets, received $250,000;My Payment Network, providing electronic payment solutions to schools and small to medium businesses, received $200,000;
Caliber Infosolutions Inc., specializing in technology solutions for the pharmaceutical, food and water quality companies, received $150,000;ModCloth, an online fashion haven for original women, received $100,000.The Idea Foundry has made investments totaling $450,000 spread over five companies. IF received a record number of applications during this period, the most ever received reports spokesperson Mary Beth Guzzetta.
The five companies include:
Intelomed, a diagnostic medical device that measures the circulatory system�s ability to adapt to changes in physical stress;
MyGov365, a comprehensive political media network that connects citizens and the government;
Skill-Life, an online role-playing game and web community that builds young people�s real-world financial habits as well as math skills;
Tomo Technology, a 3-D laser scanner technology;
Zenit, a new mover data analysis software for the real estate industry.
The Pittsburgh-based Technology Collaborative, which supports the growth of the region�s robotics, cyber-security and digital technologies, will award $1.5 million in commercialization funding to universities, start-ups and established companies this year. The draft proposal deadline is Aug. 8, 2008. For more information, click here.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: Jessica Pedersen, RE2; Lynn Brusco, PLSG; James Hanlon, ReGear; Mary Beth Guzzetta, Idea Foundry
This Saturday marks the second annual Buy Fresh Buy Local Summer Farm Tour, a delicious opportunity to drive to the farms in our region that raise food using sustainable practices.
The tour runs on July 26th from noon to 5 p.m. and features 13 farms in Allegheny and surrounding counties. Farms will offer produce, pies, chops and other goods for sale, so bring a cooler. Farms will also feature a range of activities from hayrides to picnic spots, vegetable picking and educational talks. The cost is $10 per carload�exact change is preferred. Leave your pets at home.
The tour is an opportunity for the non-farming public to connect with local and organic farms in Southwestern, PA, and encourage their existence. The list and map of participating farms, along with further information, is available online. Click here. In other conservation and sustainable gardening news, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has established Project Green Heart to encourage professional landscapers, homeowners, and gardeners to use sustainable landscape practices. Specialists in the fields of horticulture, arboriculture, and forestry designed the curriculum, which includes the areas of soils and amendments, organic lawn care, tree planting and pruning, integrated pest management, and sustainable plant selection. Project Green Heart also publishes an annual list of ten sustainable plants based on their non-invasive habits, resistance to disease and insects and low maintenance. The participating nurseries and the sustainable plants of 2008 can be found on Phipps� website. Click here.
You�ve walked by it countless times, the colorful Sprout Fund mural on Smithfield Street, and wistfully wished you knew what was behind the distinguished gentlemen under the hairdryers.
Now you can know, thanks to the free regional tours offered by TourAnytime of Pittsburgh. Hosted by the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, TourAnytime offers more than 100 walking, museum and individual tours 24/7 by cell phone through one phone number, anytime your schedule allows.
And MP3 tours with photos and videos are coming soon.
�What makes us unique is we�re not just about Pittsburgh but all of southwestern PA,� says Jan Dofner of Rivers of Steel. �This allows smaller heritage sites to get into the big picture with a technology that they might not have been able to do on their own.�
TourAnytime offers an array of vivid, self-guided tours, from the Battle of Homestead to the fabulous Sprout Fund murals that inhabit the local landscape. Museums, such as the Westmoreland Museum of Modern Art and Mattress Factory, find the technology works well for them too, says Jeff Leber, vice president and chief operating officer.
�It even works for couch potatoes,� he adds.
Roaming charges may be incurred for anyone outside of the 412 area code, but otherwise the tours are free.
�For a region known for its industry, this illustrates that our industrial and cultural heritage is of interest to people,� adds Dofner. �People want to know the stories. We�re hardworking people and we forget how interesting our region is and what we have to offer.�
To begin a tour, simply go to the TourAnytime website and follow the simple instructions.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: Jeff Leber, Jan Dofner, Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
Image courtesy TourAnytime
The Strip District company�s sophisticated software takes an analog signal or digital video file and translates it into information rich data, called meta-data. Their platform, News*Edge, helps broadcasters index, archive and find video content on demand, which in turn helps to increase viewership and revenue.
�What we really do is searchable video,� explains Dave Alioto, founder, president and everything but programmer. �TV and local news is all about selling advertising, which is why ratings are so important. ContentVision enables stations to see what�s going on at any moment in the broadcast. If ratings go down, you can figure out what is going on, who was doing what and when.�
NBC, Fox, Scripps, Gannett, WPXI and PBS are among those who have already signed on with ContentVision�s product suite. The software also has appeal for advertising agencies, corporations, healthcare providers and educators, Alioto says.
A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Alioto worked with two other startups, MediaSite and Tartan Labs, before founding ContentVision in 2000. The company, currently a �2 ½-man band,� hopes to hire three more in the next year pending the next round of funding, Alioto says.
ContentVision has received financial support from Idea Foundry and The Technology Collaborative.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: Dave Alioto, ContentVision
Five innovative Pittsburgh environmental projects and programs won 2008 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards.
The programs address a wide range of local and regional issues, including acid mine drainage, building sustainability, wildlife protection and hazardous waste management . Each winner will designate a $5,000 cash prize to be used in support of a nonprofit environmental program of their choice.
The winners are:
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: The LEED-certified $29 million expansion of the Children's Museum has created a showcase in the region for environmental sustainability and advocacy.
Construction Junction: Since opening in 1999, Construction Junction has grown dramatically and diverted tons of usable building materials from landfills. CJ has grown into a $1 million business, employing 17 people. The company recently received a $300,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments for capital improvements.
Suzanne B. DeArment, executive director, Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center: As a volunteer, DeArment has devoted the past 17 years to the care of sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in northwestern Pennsylvania. She has also been a prolific educator, having been involved in over 170 wildlife conservation programs that have included over 20,000 participants.
South Fayette Conservation Group : The abandoned Maude Mine was both an environmental and public safety and health hazard to the South Fayette Township community. The group has removed of the remaining coal mining structures, relocated 1.2 miles of a nearby stream, which greatly reduced acid mine drainage into the local watershed, eliminated dangerous high walls and buried exposed mine portals.
Southwestern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste Task Force: Since it's formation in 2002, this task force has collected and disposed of hazardous wastes from over 14,000 households.
The Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards program is sponsored by Dominion and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.
�I had lived in New York and been around the world so I was thrilled to be back,� recalls Wilson, who had earned a degree in cultural anthropology at Columbia University. �It�s amazing to see the city so different from the one I left. There are a lot of great things happening here.�
Wilson struck up a conversation with a colleague, Sarah Szurpicki, who had moved back to her hometown of Detroit. The two had worked on political campaigns together and hatched a daring plan to help their urban communities move beyond images of rust-belt, industrial decline.
With the help of $70,000 in grants from several prestigious organizations�including the Brookings Institution and the John R. Oishei Foundation �they launched the Great Lakes Urban Exchange, or GLUE, a hip, web-based forum for post-boomer urbanists to promote power, aide in positive transformation and address the shared challenges of similarly-storied older industrial cities situated in the Great Lakes watershed.
�Basically it�s the two of us trying to organize a movement in 22 cities,� Wilson laughs. �We�re trying really hard to bring together a diverse community, people in public policy, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, the curious.�
Although GLUE is in its infancy, it has held meetings in many cities and momentum is building. GLUE hopes attract support, spark creativity and change the conversation in the 22-city region.
Anyone can join, Wilson says. Check out the website or attend the next Pittsburgh meeting on June 10th, location and time to be announced. For more information, click here.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: Abby Wilson, GLUE
Image courtesy Great Lakes Urban Exchange
The global spotlight will hit the region this September as the Pittsburgh 250 Initiative kicks off a month long Pittsburgh International Celebration.Events will showcase Pittsburgh in its global glory as a technology center for youthful innovation, linking many local organizations with global goals and interests. After all, more than 100 global companies with more than $1 billion in revenues operate here, more than 10,000 overseas students attend schools in the region and Pittsburgh boasts some 50 ethnic communities.�We�re hoping to spread the good news about Pittsburgh�s international connections and generate excitement about how globally connected Pittsburgh is,� says Roger Cranville, senior vp of global marketing for the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance. �When you lift a few stones, it�s surprising how connected we are to the rest of the world. When you collect events together (all in one month), you create critical mass and get a great international celebration.�The month will mix new and existing events and recognize members of the international community who continue to play a role in the city�s atmosphere of innovation and entrepreneurship. Here's a glimpse at just a few:
· The International Bridge Awards Dinner· Pennsylvania International Week, which brings the state�s global trade representatives to Pittsburgh · The launch of the Pittsburgh Middle East Institute featuring speaker Thomas Friedman· The Head of the Ohio Regatta· The Penn Brewery Oktoberfest
Pittsburgh International Month activities will be part of the year-long Pittsburgh 250 celebration.
Source: Roger Cranville, Pittsburgh Regional Alliance
Pennsylvania entered the electronic age with the unveiling of its first digitally created book, a flashy, tech savvy publication designed to give local communities the tools it needs to revitalize neighborhoods and win funding.
Called the Community Revitalization Guide, it offers a step-by-step approach on how to achieve success from identifying and envisioning an asset-rich redevelopment scheme to attracting financial investment and implementation assistance.
�We are a saying to communities, �don�t come (to the state) looking for individual programs that might provide money and submit multiple applications,�� explains Ken Klothen, deputy secretary for Community Affairs and Redevelopment. �It is much better if communities think of projects as the first pebble in the pond that will ripple out, make an impact and create change in the community. We want communities to let us decide the best packages that support the program.�
The state has two goals: to increase the pipeline flow of good projects and increase the capacity of local officials to plan and implement them. �Many communities don�t have the capacity to figure out that first impact project,� he adds. �This guide is aimed at that municipal official."
Gov. Rendell and state agencies have allocated more than $433 million to remove blighted buildings, design safer streets, and improve storefronts. The guide will help municipal officials envision ideas and plan projects that will attract investment, Klothen says.
To read the guide, click here. For more information, visit www.newpa.com.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: Ken Klothen, Janel Miller, DCED
Pittsburgh�s Great Outdoors Week kicks off today, May 14th, with another great lineup of events to get the city outdoors.
The week strives to introduce and engage individuals in the many outdoor recreation opportunities available in Southwestern PA. Various events are scheduled around the region, including kayaking, biking, dragon boats, rock climbing and fishing. Individuals from all skill levels and backgrounds are invited to participate.
Pedal Pittsburgh promises to draw thousands of riders this Saturday, May 18th, offering rides ranging from six to 60 miles. For a full listing of activities and events, click here.
The forward-thinking national idea lab, CEOs for Cities, arrives in Pittsburgh in May to tackle the national recession in �Next Generation Cities: Finding New Sources of Strength in Tough Times.�
This marks the first visit to Pittsburgh for the organization, a collection of high-powered corporate CEOs, university presidents, foundation officials and business and civic leaders who inspire one another while creating a new agenda for urban America, one that embraces the role of cities as centers of America�s global prosperity.
�This gives us a chance to show off our highlights,� says Anne-Marie Lubenau, president and CEO of the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh. �Remarkably, there exists a misunderstanding of what Pittsburgh is in this century. We can share our transition from an industrial to a green city with LEED-certified building, the redevelopment of our riverfront and our reconnection to the natural environment.�
The 30-member Pittsburgh delegation is the largest contingent in CEOs for Cities, reflecting a commitment and devotion that leaders here feel toward inspiring change in the region.
Writer: Debra SmitSource: CEO for Cities, Anne-Marie Lubenau, CDCP, Eve Picker, No Wall Productions
A city can never be on too many A-lists.
Famous for its lists, Forbes magazine ranked Pittsburgh No. 6 on its Top 10 Tech Cities list this month. �Resuscitated after decades of economic malaise,� the article begins, �the old steel town has become an innovative force in such areas as health care, biomedical technology, nuclear energy and robotics.�
Forbes also applauded Carnegie Mellon University�s Robotics Institute and the school�s Collaborative Innovation Center �that has enticed Intel and Apple to build labs in the area.�
�It�s very gratifying. We�ve done a good job of shouting and sharing and hit some things out of the ballpark,� agrees Audrey Russo, president of the Pittsburgh Technology Council. �But are we incrementally changing or are we changing at the same slow, steady state? How can we really move the needle so we can really catapult into the next 25 years?�
�As a region, we�re becoming recognized for the fact that we�re a high tech city,� notes Pittsburgh Regional Alliance President Dewitt Peart. �From our vantage point, what�s becoming evident is the role that Pittsburgh businesses play in this global economy.�
Our competitive advantage is not products we are producing but the huge appetite for products we�ve been historically known for: life sciences, media communications, robotics, adds Peart. �Last year exports grew by 20 percent while the average across country was 8 percent. "We happen to be producing what the world needs at that moment. Academics in our region are the innovators of the future.�
And there�s more. Pennsylvania received good news last week when AeA, the nation�s largest technology trade association, released its annual Cyberstates report detailing national and state job trends. Pennsylvania�s high-tech industry added 6,400 jobs, moving up one spot to become the seventh largest cyberstate.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Forbes, Audrey Russo, Pittsburgh Technology Council, Dewitt Peart, PRA
A consortium of three regional universities will receive up to $26 million in funding to develop cleaner fossil fuel technologies that may reduce greenhouse gases and the nation�s dependence on foreign oil.
Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and West Virginia University will form a partnership, called CWP Inc., and will work through an onsite contractor, RDS Inc., at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). NETL is the national laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy with facilities in South Park, Morgantown and three other states. More than 75 scientists and student researchers will work with more than 150 NETL scientists and researchers here to study cleaner methods for generating coal, oil and gas energy.
Areas of study will include carbon capture and sequestration, the conversion of coal to liquid fuels, developing improved turbine generators and new fuel cell technologies that use coal-derived synthetic fuels, says Andrew Gellman, Carnegie Mellon chemical engineering professor and director for the consortium.�This offers an opportunity for the three universities to really enhance the research they�re doing in fossil fuels,� explains Gellman. �It creates a mechanism for the schools to collaborate with one another, bringing together different skill sets. Together we can do much more; it creates a synergetic kind of relationship.�
With fossil fuels comprising an 86 percent share of the U.S. energy supply into 2030, this research holds promise, Gellman adds. �In the next several decades, society has to rely on fossil fuel for energy. What we need is to use the fuel we have efficiently, without destroying the environment.� Writer: Deb SmitSource: Andrew Gellman, Carnegie Mellon University, Morgan Kelly, University of Pittsburgh
Innovation Works� Matt Harbaugh saw it coming. In fact, he predicted it.
The national figures for venture capital investment in 2007 are in and Pittsburgh is the second fastest growing region in the country, according to The Money Tree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and The National Venture Capital Association.
The analysis focused on the ten-year growth rates for regions across the country and ranked the fastest growing areas based on number of companies funded, excluding areas that had under $100 million in investment in 2007.
Pittsburgh ranked right behind the state of New Mexico with total investment in 2007 of $198 million compared to $32 million in 1997. Its growth rate of 513 percent beat out other cities like Seattle (211 percent), Los Angeles (155 percent) and Washington, D.C. (130 percent). (For the analysis, click here.)
�Pittsburgh is starting to show some real maturity and momentum. It�s a sign that a lot of things are happening,� notes Rich Lunak, president and CEO of Innovation Works. �The region is bringing in more research dollars and organizations like Innovation Works are putting more seed money into companies.�
Sixty-six percent of the companies receiving investments were seed and early stage companies, according to the NVCA report. The top industries in Pittsburgh receiving funding were life sciences, software and clean technology. The investments that topped the chart in 2007 were Millennium Pharmacy, Logical Therapeutics and BPL Global.
�The numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Pittsburgh isn�t as large as the other regions being recognized here,� adds Matt Harbaugh, IW chief investment officer. "We�re well on our way to achieving that critical mass of entrepreneurial companies that feed on themselves, becoming a real engine for growth in the region.�
With the fastest growing VC regions now outside of the Silicon Valley, California is coming here. For this week�s Pop City story, click here.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Rich Lunak, Matt Harbaugh, Innovation Works
Three Pittsburgh organizations have joined forces to convene a one-day regional conversation about climate change and possibilities for businesses.
Climate Change Uncertainties: Opportunities for Business Innovation? brings together local business, engineering and professional organizations to ponder innovative approaches to meeting the challenges of sustainability.
The event is the first in a series of solutions that are being presented to the region as part of Sustainable Pittsburgh�s Champions for Sustainability (C4S), a network for that will convene six times a year and aspires to be the nation�s largest and most effective region-based collaboration of leaders accelerating the practice and policy of sustainability in business and civic circles.
C4S brings together a new network of companies, large and small, from many different industries and includes entrepreneurs, community leaders, university researchers, educators, and other social ventures.
�With so much interest, confusion and uncertainty in this area, we hope to begin a dialogue,� says Matt Mehalik, program manager for Sustainable Pittsburgh. �There needs to be some kind of response that advances the innovation and interest in this for our region.�
The event will be held on Thursday, March 27th at the Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh North in Mars, PA. The cost is $100 per person and there is a special student rate of $35.
The seminar is sponsored by local chapters of the American Society of Civil Engineers� (ASCE), and the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) in association with the Allegheny Mountain section of the Air & Waste Management Association (AWMA) and Sustainable Pittsburgh�s Champions for Sustainability (C4S).
For more information on the event and Champions for Sustainability, click here.
Innovation Works has launched an innovative new incubator on the South Side to help local software entrepreneurs get startups up and running.AlphaLab will be a catalyst for the next generation of software, game design and Internet-related companies, explains Rich Lunak, president and CEO of Innovation Works. �We�re constantly looking for ways to develop technology companies in the region and accelerate growth. AlphaLab seemed like a great model for us.�Software and Internet related companies are a strong segment of the local market and make up 50 percent of Innovation Works investments, Lunak adds. They also have the potential to attract the largest amount of venture capital nationally. An incubator to nurture local talent makes perfect sense.Innovation Works, one of the nation�s most active seed-stage investors, is accepting applications from entrepreneurs with solid business ideas. Up to 12 startups will be taken into the program annually, each receiving $25,000 for a six-month period to develop an initial version of a product. The program includes South Side office space, access to advisers, mentors and industry experts and participation in a vibrant software community.�This is not just about a successful product launch but the creation of a vehicle to network within the Pittsburgh community and link up other entrepreneurs with other communities,� adds Terri Glueck of IW. �This is about talent, retention and the strength of our universities.�Companies that get their start through AlphaLab are asked to remain in southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information on the program, click here.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Rich Lunak, Terry Glueck, Innovation Works
Following a year of dazzling growth, RedPath Integrated Pathology is moving to a larger, more sustainable space in the Strip District to accomodate company growth.
The 2-year-old biotech company will relocate to two-floors, 40,000 square feet of warehouse space, the site of the former Spring Way Center which housed Kerotest Manufacturing Corp. RedPath doubled in size last year from 16 to 31 employees and expects to double again to 70 people by the end of 2008, with most of the growth in the sales and marketing department.
RedPath also added pathologists, technologists, laboratory technicians, a research coordinator and a senior manager, says Mary Del Brady, president and CEO."Pittsburgh is our home, and we look forward to continuing our history of growth, doubling or tripling sales volume each year, in our new state-of-the-art facility, says Del Brady. "The green design principles of our new space are in keeping with our life science mission.� RedPath�s PathFinderTG platform is a genomic-based technology that provides physicians and patients with a definitive diagnosis when traditional methods are limited. While the pancreas diagnostic remains the company�s leading application, RedPath�s powerful and broad platform has been developed for a full range of diagnostics up and down the GI tract, says Del Brady.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Mary Del Brady, RedPath Integrated Technology
The Hispanic population in Pittsburgh is growing steadily and has its first Spanish directory to prove it.
The Hispanic Center/El Centro Hispano launched its 302-page Directorio de Servicios Para la Comunidad Latina (Spanish Service Directory for the Latino Community) and it�s now available to Pittsburgh residents and businesses. The directory was written as a guide for new Spanish-speaking residents, human resource managers and anyone wishing to learn more about the Spanish-speaking community in the region.
�The directory is very comprehensive. It�s one way of helping our community to connect,� says Pedro Paulo Bretz, executive director of The Hispanic Center. �We�ve also distributed it to human resource managers so they can provide it to their employees to help them find services in our region that are available in Spanish.�
While Pittsburgh�s population has steadily declined during the past 10 years, the Hispanic population has grown. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Hispanics living in our nine county region rose from 15,734 in 2000 to 23,947 in 2006, a 34 percent increase.
The directory provides 20 chapters with listings that include information on financial, legal, health, education, social, and restaurant businesses. �It�s a go-to guide for all new residents and international students and businesses, as well as for human resource managers seeking a more diverse, Spanish-speaking workforce,� says Bretz.
The Hispanic Center in Pittsburgh serves the Pittsburgh Hispanic community through services offering career development, job training, and job referral. LAst year the center helped 200 Spanish-speaking and bilingual people to find employment, which in turn helped to give back to the local economy, Bretz says.
For more information on the directory or to view a copy online, click here.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Pedro Paulo Bretz
Image courtesy of The Hispanic Center
A gathering of CEOs and local and state leaders assembled in the Innovation Works lobby on Technology Drive this month to celebrate the strength of its portfolio and announce new companies and hiring.
IW invested in its 100th company last year and attracted more than $100M in follow-on investment from private and other sources in 2007. Since its inception in late 1999, IW has invested more than $35M and its portfolio companies have gone on to raise $425M in follow-on financing.
�Pittsburgh was once a flyover for executives from other cities,� noted Rich Lunak, president and CEO of IW. �No more. Fifty-five out-of-town VC firms have invested in local companies in the last three years.� The phone is ringing as well as executives from cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland and St. Louis call to learn more about IW�s successful model for tech-based economic development.
While jobs and the economy may be lagging locally and elsewhere, the region's venture capital sector is the fastest growing in the state. �Jobs are created by entrepreneurs who take risks, work late at night and get up every day and make it happen,� said Dennis Yablonsky, secretary of the Pa. Dept. of Community and Economic Development.
Yablonsky also announced that the state has helped to lure an IT company to Pittsburgh and another will expand operations here, creating 152 jobs thanks to state grants and loans of $907,200.
Technology consultant TechAssist of Washington, D.C., plans to move its national operations center to 11,000 sf at the National City Bank Building, Downtown. The move will create 96 positions in engineering, sales and marketing and administration.
Credit/debit card manager CardWorks considered moving to New Jersey but instead was coaxed by the state to stay and expand 57,500 sf in Station Square's Commerce Court. CardWorks will hire an additional 56 people in the next three years.
Another IW company and Pop City 2008 Tech Company to Watch, Knopp Neurosciences, received $10 M in a series B funding round from out-of-town investors Saturn Management of Boston. The money will help with clinical trials as the firm grows its staff from 14 to 18.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Dennis Yablonsky, DCED, Rich Lunak and Terri Glueck, Innovation Works
Harmarville-based Thar Technologies received a significant
$1.9 M federal grant for the development of a greener biodiesal production
process that, if successful, could set a new standard for biodiesal production
across the country.
A world leader in the development of supercritical fluid
chromatography (SFC) systems used for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food and
electronics, Thar will use its SFC technology to develop a more
environmentally-sound, less costly biodiesal that avoids the use of toxic hexane.
The EPA classifies hexane, which is used to extract oil from
oilseeds, as a hazardous air pollutant. �Cost-effective biodiesal for mass
production is finally on the horizon,� says Lalit Chordia, Thar CEO. �This
process will set multiple standards for zero to little pollution in the
Chordia also says that because the process will use less energy
than the current biodiesal production processes and have a greater yield, Thar�s
biodiesal will ultimately stand on its own without the need for a government subsidy. �That
says a lot,� quips Choridia.
�This is a really
significant investment in our region. The federal government rarely ever gives
a grant out this large,� notes Nathaniel Doyno, executive director for Steel City Biofuels. �This technology presents significant opportunities to overcome
some pretty big barriers to biodiesal development.�
The Advanced Technology Program of the
National Institute of Science and Technology is funding the research. If all goes as planned, Thar will
construct a biodiesal plant to pilot the new development process prior to
bringing the process to full commercialization.
This is good news for the state, which has lagged behind
other states in providing more incentives for biodiesal production.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Lalit Chorida, Thar Technologies; Nathaniel Doyno, Steel City Biofuels
While the country may be heading into a �severe growth
stall� or a recession, Southwestern Pennsylvania may avoid the downturn
completely and see small but positive growth in the coming year.
PNC Financial Services Group chief economist Stuart Hoffman and Bank of New York Mellon Corp. chief economist Richard Hoey both stopped short of calling for a full blown national recession but warned that the signs of a serious downturn are there. Their comments came during an
Economic Forecast Luncheon at the Omni William Penn downtown Tuesday.
"There's a 40 percent chance that we'll have a recession, but if we have two or three months of job losses, we're in a recession," says Hoffman . The slump, however, may be short lived and the second half of the year may see more
robust activity than the first. Southwestern Pennsylvania will stay the course
of slow growth although that growth may continue at a somewhat slower pace in certain sectors.
Global and national economic indicators suggest that falling
housing prices and credit concerns will take its toll nationally, while Asia
and China will continue to grow but at a slower pace, reports Hoey, who offered a general outlook on the global picture.
�By 2009 the U.S. will be back recovering and Europe will be
weaker,� Hoey adds. "We're in the 8th inning because of weakness in our economy and other economies (like Europe) will be weaker later."
In Southwestern Pennsylvania, where housing prices never
ballooned to outrageous levels and job growth remains well below the national
average, the outlook is brighter comparatively, Hoffman says. Unemployment last year fell slightly to 4.4 percent from 4.9 percent and employment should hold steady in the region at 1.14 million.
Pittsburgh should benefit in residential construction,
healthcare services, technology and financial services, Hoffman says.
Commercial property markets should grow due to several downtown condominium
projects and office demand will ease through 2008 allowing the office vacancy
rate to creep back and take the pressure off rent growth.
For PNC's economic forecast for the
region, click here.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Richard Hoey, The BNY Mellon Corp.; Stuart Hoffman,
PNC Financial Services
A predominantly Buddhist country whose national creed is �Gross National Happiness,� Bhutan is preparing for a major political transition this year as its leader, King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, abdicates the throne in favor of his democratically elected son, a 27-year-old Oxford graduate.
What makes this all the more compelling is that a Pittsburgh-based company, Creative Products International, is helping to support this tiny country�s economy through the innovative development of a mini CD-ROM stamp to be released this spring, sure to be another sought after collector�s item for philatelists worldwide.
Bhutan has had a long, colorful history of exotic, prized stamps, explains Frances Todd Stewart, president of CPI. It was her late father, who formed a close friendship with the Bhutan queen-to-be while he attended Oxford University, who suggested stamps as an economic development project for the country.
The late Todd helped the country create several beautiful stamps, including a vinyl talking and 3-D stamp. Todd Stewart is following in his footsteps with a CD-ROM stamp that attaches to an envelope and includes pictures, music and the history of the country, developed and designed by CPI, new product developers and an international custom manufacturer.
The stamp has already attracted national attention, having been featured on "Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" on the NBC Today Show earlier this year.
�I feel very honored to be part of an experience to carry on my father�s legacy,� says Todd Stewart. �It�s wonderful to think that through this documentary there is a connection between the past and what is happening now as Bhutan moves into a democracy.�
To view the CD-ROM stamp, click here.
Image courtesy Creative Products International
Allegheny County has received $7.54 M from the state for 11 economic development projects that promise to create some 540 jobs in the region in the next three years.The funds will enable three companies to relocate here from out-of-state, says Janel Miller, a spokesperson for Gov. Ed Rendell. The assistance for the 11 projects comes in the form of loans, grants, job training and technical assistance coordinated through the Governor�s Action Team.The three companies that will move to the region include:
GiftCards.com will create at least 53 new jobs by relocating operations from North Carolina to suburban Pittsburgh. The leading provider of prepaid Visa debit cards has moved its customer service center to a 20,000 sf building in Greentree. Hussey Copper Ltd., a leading global producer of electrical copper bar for rolling mills, is relocating a production line from Kentucky to Leetsdale, a $1.2 M expansion that will create 25 new jobs.
Knepper Press Corp. is expanding its local operations and creating 40 new jobs. The commercial printing company is moving its 38,000 sf facility in Oakdale to a new 100,000 sf facility on 11.9 acres in Clinton.
Voyager Jet Center, a leader in private aviation services, will receive the biggest slice of the pie for a $17.7 M, 30,000 sf expansion of its Allegheny County Airport operations that will create 50 new jobs.
The new jobs arrive on the heels of a marginal rise in local jobs in the region for November. The U.S. Dept. of Labor reports that the region added 3,000 new jobs compared to the same period last year, posting a .26 percent growth rate.
For the complete list of local economic development projects, click here.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Janel Miller for Gov. Ed Rendell, U.S. Dept. of Labor
Eight of the companies are Innovation Works portfolio companies. �The breadth of technologies is indicative of what we see in general,� says Terri Glueck of Innovation Works. �This paints such a great picture of what�s happening and innovative here.�
Accipter Systems, Inc. received $300,000 to developing Wi-Hy, a next generation wireless system that will eliminate network dropouts and provide a more reliable network for the military, emergency crews, surveillance and public safety personnel.
Alertek was awarded $300,000. The new technology is a University of Pittsburgh spinout and will improve safety in the mines and on construction sites by providing an audible alert at the first sign of infrastructure under stress.
Cognition Therapeutics received $200,000 to help develop small molecule therapeutics targeting the toxic proteins that cause the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative diseases of the human brain.
Coventina Healthcare Enterprises received $320,000 as it continues to produce a therapeutic warming system used in the research, treatment, rehabilitation and management of pain related to injury, aging and disease.
Impact Games, makers of the internationally popular game Peacemaker, has received $250,000.
Pertuity received $300,000 to develop its product, Dare to Compare, an online financial comparison tool that helps users compare their financial status, plans and strategies with others.
ShowClix received $150,000 for development of a live music search engine and online ticketing company connecting musicians, venues and show promoters with millions of live music fans. The website combines an open, live music database with an online ticketing platform, giving show promoters, musicians and venues an easy, affordable way to promote their shows and sell tickets to music fans who search for, track and share live music on the site.
The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse has invested $100,000 in ParentPlus. ParentPlus is positioning its first product, FertPlus(R), as a way to increase the efficacy of fertility treatments and at the same time provide a lower cost alternative to expensive and highly publicized conventional treatments.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Terri Glueck, Innovations Works, Tim O�Brien, PLSG
Community Connections announced $1M in grants to 100 regional and grassroots organizations and artists as the city gears up to celebrate Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary.
Some 540 submissions were received from across the region and the competition was stiff as a panel of regional leaders, including representatives from all 14 counties, selected 12 compelling initiatives that received $50,000 each as Regional Community Connections Projects and 88 grassroots projects that received about $5000 each.
Four examples of projects that received $50,000 for activities in 2008 are:
Civil Rites: Oral Histories of Two Generations of Pittsburgh Artists: the August Wilson Center for African American Culture will collect the work and personal stories of local artists in a multimedia presentation that will coincide with the Center�s dedication.
Good Neighbor Days: Family Communications, Inc. will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the birth of Mister Rogers with an educational campaign and five-days of family-friendly activities at regional cultural and educational venues.
Roadside Giants: The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor will engage students at technical and career schools in Bedford, Somerset and Westmoreland counties to create enormous public art sculptures along the historic Lincoln Highway, a route that mirrors the one travelled by Gen. John Forbes and Col. George Washington in 1758.
With The Pittsburgh Signs Project, Pop City's own Jennifer Baron willcreate "Pittsburgh Signs: 250," a full-color book documenting and reflecting on signs from the fourteen counties in the region that will celebrate theunique visual culture of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
�Regional Projects are indicative of the character of our unique region,� said Cathy Lewis Long, a co-chair of Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections. �From the expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities to mobile educational laboratories, these important initiatives planned for 2008 represent the hopes and desires of citizens in Southwestern Pennsylvania at this moment in time.�
Community Connections is a cooperative effort of The Sprout Fund, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization, the Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections committee, and Pittsburgh 250 Inc., the lead agency coordinating events and activities for the 250th celebration.
To see a complete list of funded projects, click here.
Writer: Deb Smit Source: Cathy Lewis Long, Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections and Dustin Stiver, The Sprout Fund
Community Connections announced $1M in grants to 100 regional and grassroots organizations and artists as the city gears up to celebrate Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary.
Some 540 submissions were received from across the region and the competition was stiff as a panel of regional leaders, including representatives from all 14 counties, selected 12 compelling initiatives that received $50,000 each as Regional Community Connections Projects and 88 grassroots projects that received about $5000 each.
Four examples of projects that received $50,000 for activities in 2008 are:
�Regional Projects are indicative of the character of our unique region,� said Cathy Lewis Long, a co-chair of Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections. �From the expansion of outdoor recreation opportunities to mobile educational laboratories, these important initiatives planned for 2008 represent the hopes and desires of citizens in Southwestern Pennsylvania at this moment in time.�
Community Connections is a cooperative effort of The Sprout Fund, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization, the Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections committee, and Pittsburgh 250 Inc., the lead agency coordinating events and activities for the 250th celebration.
To see a complete list of funded projects, click here.
Writer: Deb Smit Source: Cathy Lewis Long, Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections and Dustin Stiver, The Sprout Fund
It�s the gift that could keep giving given the impact that the return of a regular direct flight to Europe would have on Pittsburgh.
This week local leaders learned that the Pittsburgh region is on the short list of airports under consideration by the Northwest Airlines/KLM alliance for non-stop service to Amsterdam. Schiphol Airport is a KLM hub and a short skip to London and the U.K., offering connections to northern Germany and more than 100 airports in Europe.
The news is music to the ears of many local business leaders and the Allegheny Conference who is calling for a massive letter writing campaign in support of the proposal.
Allegheny Conference vice president Ken Zapinkski thinks Pittsburgh stands a good chance of attracting Northwest/KLM. �Pittsburgh is the largest European bound market east of the Rockies that does not currently have non-stop service,� he notes. �This region has built an economy that is truly global. Getting non-stop service direct to Europe is very critical to the regional economy.�
Local leaders will meet with the airlines in early 2008 and they hope to have a strong show of support through a large stack of letters. Company CEOs and anyone with a strong desire for the service is asked to consider writing to explain how Pittsburgh travelers would prefer to avoid the delay and congestion that has resulted from the loss of a direct flight, the frequency in which your company travels and more.
For more details on how to assist in the letter writing campaign, click here.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Ken Zapinkski, Allegheny Conference
The Green Building Alliance is keeping Pittsburgh green this season.
This month the GBA announced $448,000 in product innovation grants for the commercialization of new products to support the fast growing green building market in Pittsburgh.
�The green market represents a significant economic opportunity for western Pennsylvania and the entire state, which ranks second in the country in the number of LEED certified buildings,� says Rebecca Flora, executive director of the GBA.
The grants include collaboration between private sector companies and university teams located in Pa. Recipients include:
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Rebecca Flora, Green Building Alliance
For years, local jazz lovers regularly met at the Grill, a place of community, attracting top musicians from as far away as New York City. When the Grille moved to Station Square, it became too pricey and inaccessible for many of its regular patrons.
Alexander saw its departure as an opportunity to give something back to the neighborhood where he grew up. �When that historic place closed, it laid the groundwork for me to start some type of organization,� says Alexander. �I wanted to build a community of entrepreneurs who would get to know one another on a personal and professional level, my own version of the Chamber of Commerce.�
Last year Alexander formed the Minority Network Exchange, an organization that strives to connect minority business owners and entrepreneurs to one another in fun, creative ways, be it a golf outing, horseback riding or a murder mystery network mixer. The goal is exposure for businesses that would normally slide under the radar, he says.
�One of the barriers I�ve found is that there hasn�t been a lot of interest from people who are well-established,� says Alexander. �If you�ve been successful and have had your doors open for 10 years or more, that�s the kind of people I want to be mentors to others.�
And make no mistake, all minorities are welcome, he adds. �If 100 Russian guys show up, great. Everyone can help each other.�
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Vernard Alexander, Minority Network Exchange
The Heinz Endowments has named Davidson College President Robert Vagt as its next president.Vagt, a gregarious, ordained minister who prefers to be called "Bobby," will take charge of the $1.6 billion foundation that has distributed more than $80 million in grants this year, primarily in Western Pennsylvania. He succeeds Maxwell King on Jan. 15th .
�Pittsburgh was part of the attraction, but the principal attraction were the Endowments themselves and their regional focus on quality of life matters,� Vagt says. �I hope to work on some of the tougher issues that affect Pittsburgh.�
Vagt received his undergraduate degree in psychology at Davidson and earned his master�s in divinity from Duke. His extensive experience includes work as a psychologist, prison warden, public finance director and director of health center clinic programs before becoming the 16th president of one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.
During his 10-year tenure, Vagt helped encourage diversity on campus and eliminated the financial aid debt of needy students, an accomplishment of which he is most proud. He also coined the phrase �Davidson bubble,� a personal and ethical value system, and once had bottles of bubble soap distributed to graduating students where they sat, encouraging them to spread the �Davidson bubble� out into the world.
Source: Bobby Vagt, The Heinz Endowments
Image courtesy of The Heinz Endowments
Our monthly venture capital roundup reports that six area companies hauled in investment dollars in the past month.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Andy Hannah, Plextronics: Tim O�Brien and John W. Manzetti, PLSG; Innovation Works; Angela Kennedy, Carnegie Speech
So many condiments, not enough fun and games.
That was the idea behind Pittsburgh-based Smith Brothers Advertising's campaign to reignite interest in the flagging sales of Heinz Ketchup. It began with the subtle label that spoke from store shelves, �a million french fries can�t be wrong,� and blossomed into the full-blown campaign, �Hungry for Fame?� giving consumers a chance to design their own YouTube Heinz commercial.
The innovative strategy not only worked, it was a nationwide sensation. A tsunami of 8,000 entries poured in. Contestants� commercials were viewed 7.7 million times on the Top This web site and by August of 2007, Heinz was reporting a 13 percent increase in sales. More recently, a national consumer survey placed Heinz in the number one spot according to the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index.Smith Brothers Advertising won, too, a Creative Media Award from Media Magazine for its clever strategy.
�The Heinz brand�s history with consumers is what triggered the idea,� explains Miles Smith, a partner at Smith Brothers. �It gave everyone a way to tell their ketchup stories and ignited the public�s passion for the bottle that�s hidden in plain sight.�
For those whom didn�t make the final cut, there�s a second chance to proclaim your passion on national television: �Top This Take Two.� Because consuming Heinz�s flagship Pittsburgh-brand should be a compelling experience.
To view the YouTube Heinz finalists, click here.
By: Deb SmitSource: Miles Smith, Smith Brothers Advertising
Image courtesy of Smith Brothers Advertising
Dubbed the online �Zagats� about nonprofits, Pittsburgh GreatNonprofits is a project of the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, a coalition that connects the 300 nonprofits in Southwestern, PA. The site was constructed in partnership with GreaterNonProfits, the San Francisco-based organization that began designing it two years in response to the needs of nonprofits across the country.
�This allows the public to come in and get to know the nonprofit sector in a completely new way,� explains Vivien Luk, program director of the Forbes Fund. �The site has many different functions. It will help individuals to learn more about giving smartly and donating their time wisely.�
Individuals and businesses searching for a worthy project or interested in supporting a fund will find detailed information and honest feedback. The site also works as a vehicle to connect an organization to both the community as well as other nonprofits, says Luk.
On Thursday, Nov. 8th, WQED will air a special program on the Pittsburgh GreatNonprofits. View the video after Nov. 8th by clicking here. Writer: Deb SmitSource: Vivien Luk, Pittsburgh Greater NonprofitsImage courtesy of Great Nonprofits
Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh have announced a major new program that will significantly reduce utility bills through a �reverse energy online auction� for businesses and industries across the region.
The Western Pennsylvania Municipal Aggregation Program will create the largest purchasing initiative in the region�s history, says Chief Executive Dan Onorato, who teamed up with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl to announce the plan this week. The program will be available to school districts, hospitals, colleges, universities, municipalities, non-profits and private businesses both large and small.
�It�s unique to anything we�ve done,� says Tim Johnson, director of administrative services for the county. �The city and county are coming together to combine collective purchasing power to piggy back on the contract we�ve negotiated. �
Wexford-based firm Co-exprise was selected to run the program, which is based on a similar successful program it operates in the Maryland-D.C. area. This is the first program of its kind in the state.The process for participation is three fold: Western Pennsylvania businesses will be invited to join the consortium and an informational meeting will be held on Nov. 5th. Once a business signs on, Co-exprise sorts and packages the businesses into bundles based on their utility needs. A ceiling price is set and utilities rebid on the price through a unique online auction event. Participating businesses may monitor the auction process online, explains Johnson.
It's too early to speculate the savings to businesses, but Johnson said it would be "significant."�This has the potential to be largest cost-saving public/private partnership in the history of Western Pennsylvania,� says Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.
The deadline for signing onto the program is Nov. 12th. Writer: Deb Smit Source: Tim Johnson and Kevin Evanto, Allegheny County
Formerly known as Geeks on Call, the company recently changed the name to its phone number to help it emerge from �a sea of sameness,� other technicians using the "geek" word to bring in business, explains Matt Nelson, spokesperson for the corporate office in Norfolk, Virginia.
Pittsburgh native Gary Motor, a 27-year computer industry veteran, purchased five of the 15 franchises available in the Pittsburgh area and has hired two technicians, a client service rep and a territory manager to start. He hopes to expand, adding more franchises in time.
The Pittsburgh operation will provide IT support to Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas, including Evans City, Zelienople, Cranberry Township, Mars, Seven Fields, Renfrew, Wexford, Warrendale, Bradfordwoods, Harmony, Mt. Oliver, Castle Shannon, Upper St. Clair, Baldwin, Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Bethel, Scott and Bridgeville.
Calling the number brings a certified, PT Cruiser driving technician right to your home or small business, in most cases in the same day. Prices are generally more reasonable than businesses with a retail storefront and technicians do not sell equipment and software, although they will make recommendations, Motor says.
1-800-905-GEEK was named one of the fastest growing franchises nationwide by Franchise Times and Entrepreneur Magazine. The company exercises strict control of its franchises through technical certification of its technicians and extensive background checks, Nelson says.
"I like helping small businesses because they are so impacted by what an independent IT professional can do to help them reach a business goal," Motor says. "I'm also excited about the opportunity to offer assistance to more residential customers and home-based businesses."
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Matt Nelson, Gary Motor, 1-800-905-GEEK
The alternative fuel industry in Pittsburgh received a big boost this month through a series of creative local initiatives that have helped to promote local biofuel stations and raise public awareness for green transportation.
And this is just the beginning.
Last weekend more than 2000 people turned out for the first Alternative Transportation Festival in Pittsburgh, a daylong event filled with free activities that advocated the use of alternative fuels, public transportation, hybrid and flex fuel vehicles and biking.
On Tuesday General Motors (GM) and Carnegie Mellon University, a leading ethanol research center, hosted a forum on biofuels to promote the use of E85 ethanol fuel, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gas. General Motors spokeswoman MaryBeth Stanek estimates that there are 10,000 GM flex fuel vehicle owners in Pittsburgh served by seven E85 stations.
Pittsburgh is one of the best positioned cities in the country for the production and distribution of biofuel thanks to its geographic location and role as a transportation hub, says Nathaniel Doyno, executive director of Steel City Biofuels and coordinator for Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities. Local companies are already investing in the infrastructure to make it happen.
�There is an accelerating interest in our region,� Doyno adds. �With the PennSecurity Fuels Initiative, we�re moving into a new stage where we�re helping bigger players in the industry.�
Gov. Rendall�s PennSecurity Fuels Initiative hopes to replace 900 million gallons of state transportation fuels with alternative sources such as biodiesel, ethanol, or fuel derived from coal processes over the next 10 years.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Nathaniel Doyno, Steel City Biofuels, MaryBeth Stanek, General Motors
Having worked in the newspaper business for 35 years, retired Post Gazette editor John Craig has a natural interest in stemming the flow of misinformation. Especially when it comes to Pittsburgh.People who are quoted are bound to have their own personal agendas, Craig says. Even so, one should speak from a base of reliable information.
PittsburghToday.org is an innovative web site that addresses just that: Helping to lift the fog of misinformation that has settled over cities in transition like Pittsburgh by supplying a source of highly reliable data from the federal government on 10 key areas. Called indicators, the areas include: Arts, Demographics, Economy, Education, Environment, Government, Health, Safety, Sustainability, and Transportation.
The web site is a project of The Regional Indicators Consortium, a private national organization established in 2004 by the Key National Indicators Initiative at the National Academies in Washington, D.C. It draws on the expertise of local leaders and was funded locally through $300,000 in grants from local foundations.
To understand Pittsburgh and how it truly measures up, we must reshape our view and see the region as the �city state of Pittsburgh in real time,� says Craig, president of The Regional Indicators Consortium.
This means that "Pittsburgh" comprises 22 counties, including Monongalia, Marion, and Preston counties in West Virginia, in an indicator area like economics. When considering the environment, the region will reflect a an even greater area. The site also places a priority on updating data. It�s the best, unbiased source to help people accurately address where Pittsburgh stands at any given point in time. And it's a work in progress, Craig adds.
�If you don�t have good information, people won�t know what you are talking about,� says Craig. �If you have good information, you have hope.�
Writer: Deb SmitSource: John Craig, PittsburghToday.org
For Pittsburgh-based global relocation company AIReS, it was a matter of tremendous paper waste.
�One employee started with a box by her desk and would haul it out herself,� explains Laura May Carmack, AIReS quality assurance manager. �She couldn�t stand to watch the waste. It started at a grass roots level.� In time, AIReS expanded the effort to stem the waste world-wide both here and to its partners beyond.
As a result, AIReS was selected the winner of this year�s PAIMA Ecology Award, the Pan American International Mover�s Association award that honors the company that shows remarkable and innovative resourcefulness that values the environment.
By moving almost all global communications to an electronic, or �soft,� system, and recycling cartons and packing materials, AIReS has reduced its paper waste by 10 percent, a big deal in an industry that is known for its waste production. In addition, trucking agents are given incentives to drive during off peak hours. �We pick employees and partners that can be green with us,� Carmack says.
AIReS is just one of several local companies thinking green. Last month Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens won a 2007 Green Power: Turn It On! Award from Citizens for Pennsylvania�s Future in recognition of its wind powered, LEED-certified Welcome Center. Even the Hillman Cancer Center is joining in with a green gala, "Destination Hope...A Future Without Cancer" on Oct. 4th featuring an organic menu and recycled products at Atlantic Aviation�s new hangar in Moon Township. The event will include 800 of Pittsburgh's most famous and influential and Broadway performers. It is expected to raise $6 million for cancer research.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Laura May Carmack, AIReS, Jessica Romano, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, UPMC
Image courtesy of AIReS
PoliticsCorp., still in its early stages, is looking for $1.6 million in seed funding. �Here in this country the constituent needs to be more a part of the political process,� says Resio, who earned his Internet wings with Dicks Sporting Goods e-commerce, Blattner Brunner and MedResponse. �We�re going to consumerize all this important information and get it to the people, American Idol meets C-Span," he adds. "My dream is I wake up one morning and it says ABC bill passed because influencegovernment.com helped shaped a piece of legislation.��Those who serve in public life are frustrated by what we see now on the web,� explains Hart, who claims no financial or political stake in the company. �Yelling is not a conversation. One side tearing down the other doesn�t lead to anything constructive. This will offer access to real factual information. It will mix it up, lead to less cynicism and people will have the ability to affect change.�To view the web site video, click Sam Government and Joe Citizen.
Writer: Deb Smit Source: Jay Resio, PoliticsCorp.; Melissa Hart
Image courtesy of Jay Resio
Venture capital investments in Pittsburgh companies posted near record gains of $62.6 million for the region in the 2007 second quarter. Nine companies raised money from VCs, bringing the total number of deals in 2007 to 16. The totals show the region maintaining strong momentum halfway through the year, following a banner year in 2006 with $240.63 million in VC investments spread among 26 companies, according to the Money Tree Report released quarterly by Thomson Financial and the National Venture Capital Asssociation.The life sciences sector made the strongest showing with seven companies funded. Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) helped to fund three: Stagemark, Inc., $1.6 million; Celsense, $150,000; and ChemDAQ, $120,000. "Our region is the perfect place for promising life sciences technologies to prosper," says John W. Manzetti, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse. �PLSG Investment Funds help life sciences companies rapidly achieve company formation and technology milestones so that they may attract venture capital investments to achieve sustainability."
Other life science companies include Millennium Pharmacy Systems, Inc., with $18.19 million; BodyMedia Inc., $4.5 million; and COPD Partners Inc., $3.6 milllion. TimeSys, a provider of software development tools, raised $3.48 million and Bit Armor, a security software company, raised $1 million.Drug developer Logical Therapeutics garnered $30 million for the 2nd quarter. The company will relocate to Boston this fall, a decision made by its investors who requested closer proximity to a larger industry of similar drug companies, said spokesperson Carolyn Green.
On a national note, 68 venture capital companies invested $7.1 billion in 977 companies. Figures showed one of the highest levels in quarterly deals in the past five years. To see related VC story this week click here.
Wrtier: Deb SmitSource: John Manzetti, Lynn Brusco, PLSG, National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Financial
Robotics is a $500 billion emerging industry in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh leaders are ushering in the era through the newly formed Robotics Corridor.
The idea is this: The proper mix of marketing, innovative ideas, human capital development, government leadership, investment capital, and entrepreneurship will enable this region to cement its reputation as a world leader in this new technology. Robotics will have the same impact on the economy as mass production had on the industrial revolution and the computer had on the information age, says Robin Shoop, director of the Robotics Academy at CMU.
Six local institutions of higher learning, including California University of Pennsylvania�s Engineering Technology Department and CMU's Robotics Institute, the largest robotics research organization in the world, have joined forces to make it happen. Together with partners in industry, government, foundation, and education, they believe they can ignite a passion for the STEM subjects--science, technology, engineering and math�and change the economy and the world.
This week 140 educators from across the country and around the world will arrive in Pittsburgh to participate in the official kick off for the Robotics Corridor: the first Robotics Educators Conference, a three-day event that will spotlight top educators in the field, educational tools, and the latest in robotics technology.
�We're creating opportunities for kids from all economic backgrounds to contribute to the new economy,� explains Shoop. "It's not about robots. Think of it as intelligent systems, smart houses, smart buildings with embedded systems. We�re trying to make sure we�ve got young people who understand those systems.�
The event was made possible through $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and $500,000 from The Heinz Endowments.Writer: Deb SmitSource: Robin Shoop, The Robotics Academy, CMU
It�s fresh and new in more ways than one. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank�s Farm Stand Project (GPCFB) has put an innovative twist on the old-fashioned produce stand, offering local produce at reduced prices to help low-income customers buy farm-fresh goods.
From the second week in June until the week before Thanksgiving, 12 neighborhood farm stands dot the Pittsburgh and Mon Valley region, making it possible for low income seniors and participants in the Women, Children, and Infants program to use their Farmers� Nutrition Program checks, says farm stand spokesperson Vicki Lish. The program has been in existence for 13 years.
�These checks can only be used at a certified Farmer�s Market and many of these individuals do not have a Farmers� Market in their community, nor do they have transportation to get to one,� she says. The farm stands also accept cash and food stamps.
The GPCFB delivers produce to the farm stands but gives community members full responsibility for running them. Each farm stand is open once a week.
Most of the food is purchased from local farmers during the growing season; when local crops are not available, the GPCFB buys food from a wholesale distributor. �But we always give preference to local farmers as local produce becomes available during the growing season,� Lish says.
To find a location near you, click here.
Writer: Rachel Marie Rose-SandowSource: Vicki Lish, The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Image courtesy of the the Farm Stand Project
Pittsburgh has joined the wave of security-conscious cities around the world--like London and New York--who have entered the age of state-of-the-art camera surveillance technology.
Thanks to a $2.58 million grant from the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security�and a $862,500 city bond issue�Pittsburgh is considering enhancements to its present system which will significantly sharpen the local picture. Although still in an early stage, the plan calls for up to 30 additional remotely-controlled cameras in and around the city�on bridges, busy traffic corridors and high crime areas�capable of streaming live video to any city network computer or police department laptop with a URL and password.
The city presently operates three pan, tilt, and zoom cameras on top of the U.S. Steel Tower. It also borrows from a shared network operated by PennDOT, the Port Authority, Heinz Field, and PNC Park, said Ray Demichiei, deputy director of emergency management and homeland security for Pittsburgh.
�The cameras will be in placed on streets where people don�t have an expectation of privacy,� Demichiei explains. �If you�re on the 32nd floor of your apartment, no one is going to be turning cameras your way.�
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl was impressed by the public safety technology during a recent tour of Chicago. �Cameras will allow our public safety professionals to work more efficiently, to make more arrests and to better fight the violence plaguing our streets,� he says.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Ray Demichiei, Emergency Management and Homeland Security for Pittsburgh, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Joanna Doven
Large industries across the state�like U.S. Steel--received a reprieve from rising utility costs with the passage of state legislation that will allow utilities to offer long-term, fixed rates to major power users.
Local industry and business leaders, many of whom have lobbied for the bill for several years, applauded the measure, saying it will help to maintain the competitiveness of the regional business climate for investment and job growth. While the measure will lower electricity prices for these users, it also encourages construction of new power sources�everything from traditional power plants to alternatives such as wind farms.
"Signing HB 1530 into law is a critical step in maintaining and expanding industrial employment in southwestern Pennsylvania," said Michael Langley, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. "By permitting utilities to offer long-term, fixed-rate contracts to industrial users, those users -- major Pennsylvania employers -- are able to predict and better manage their operating costs, which will enable them to continue investing in facilities that create jobs in our region." The bill provides industries with relief from rising rates, which in some areas went as high as 40 percent. Rates spiraled up as a result of electricity deregulation and the expiration of rate caps two years ago. The legislation could also facilitate major investment with the modernization of Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) facilities in Western Pennsylvania, where approximately 3,000 people are employed, said L.Patrick Hassey, president and CEO of ATI. Writer: Deb SmitSource: Mike Langley and Shawn Bannon, Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Weinstein Imaging Associates will be the only place in the Pittsburgh region to offer the latest in breast cancer diagnostic technology, a procedure that also helps to detect and evaluate questionable findings from mammography or ultrasound.
Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) helps patients at an earlier and a cellular level and complements mammography by serving as a tool for challenging cases. Performed with the Dilon 6800 high-resolution Gamma Camera, BSGI is especially effective when dense breast tissue is present. "This is a complementary test to mammography, one more way to find small breast cancers," says Dr. Thomas S. Chang of Weinstein. Since BSGI has far fewer false-positives than traditional mammography, biopsies can be avoided, and it will give peace of mind for women with questionable mammographies when the test comes back as normal, he adds.BSGI measures differences at the cellular level and is not affected by tissue density. It is also useful for patients who have scar tissue, breast implants or a palpable lump when a mammogram and ultrasound are normal. The new molecular imaging technique has a high sensitivity for the detection of small breast cancers.
"It is promising teechnology. I think it's the wave of the future," says Dr.Chang. "Breast cancer is highly curable when found and treated in its earliest stages. BSGI can help us find early cancers."
Source: Thomas S. Chang, M.D., Weinstein Imaging Associates
Image courtesy of Weinstein Imaging Associates
Nine Pittsburgh-based companies are among the top 500 Entry Level Employers for 2007 according to collegegrad.com, a popular college job survey compiled annually that assists graduates by detailing the hiring plans of top employers across the country.
Lumber retailer 84 Lumber and PNC Financial Services Group both expect to hire more than 1,000 graduates by the end of 2007. 84 Lumber, based in Eighty Four, Pa., ranked the highest at 22nd place, and expects to hire 1,700 this year. PNC came in 28th at 1,350 new hires. Hiring for graduates is up at both companies from last year.
PNC is looking to hire in the fields of technology, business, finance, and accounting. About 100 of the new hires will be �leadership hires,� students recruited for management training. �As a corporation, we are committed to growing from within,� explains Davie Huddleston, director of strategic college recruiting for PNC. �We're very focused on hiring undergraduates and MBAs.�
Education Management Corp., one of the largest providers of online post-secondary education in the country, has doubled its hiring this year to 625. EMC opened 8 new campuses this year, the biggest reason for the increase, says Roberta Troike, senior vice president. Located in the Ariba building downtown, EMC is looking for graduates in the areas of finance, IT, human resources, real estate, marketing, and admissions.
Other Pittsburgh recruiters and their hiring numbers are: U.S.Steel at 240, Alcoa at 200, Westinghouse Electric at 150, Eat' N Park at 110, Bayer Healthcare at 60, and PPG at 75.
Writer: Deb SmitSource: collegegrad.com, Michelle Deemer, PNC, Roberta Troike, EMC
Toronto-based Porter Airlines, a short-haul carrier that hopes to put the glamour back into flying, plans to offer service from Toronto to Pittsburgh as well as 17 other Canadian and U.S. destinations within the next two to three years.
The Canadian upstart launched service in October 2006 from Toronto to Ottawa and Montreal. The company received approval on June 20th from the U.S. Department of Transportation to operate service to Pittsburgh as well as 16 other cities, said Brad Cicero, company spokesperson. From there, connecting flights to other destinations and arrangements with other carriers may follow.
�It�s just a matter of getting new aircraft to service the routes and building up the airline over that time,� Cicero explains. �Our basic plan is flights from Pittsburgh to Toronto and on to Montreal and Ottawa with connecting service in Halifax. Most will be non-stop point to point.�
Porter Airlines takes a stylish approach to the business, offering attentive service and creative fare structures that allow customers to change itineraries without penalty up to an hour before flight time. Leather seats, free in-flight wine, drinks, and snacks, complimentary shuttle service to the downtown, and a beautiful, state-of-the-art waiting lounge in Toronto with Wi-Fi and business work stations are among the perks. While Porter is targeting the business crowd, its flights into City Centre Airport are a short and lovely ferry ride to downtown Toronto, attractive to visitors as well, Cicero adds.
With US Airways announcement that it will eliminate flights to Toronto, Porter hopes to fill the niche. Adds Cicero, �people can go to Toronto and Montreal without spending three hours in the airport. And it�s fun flying by the CN Tower, the world�s largest free standing structure on the downtown skyline.�
Writer: Deb SmitSource: Brad Cicero, Porter Airlines
Image courtesy of Porter Airlines
Strong Women, Strong Girls (SWSG), a creative new Boston-based mentoring program that inspires young women to change the world, is opening its first satellite office in Pittsburgh this August.
Founder and Director Lindsay Hyde started the program in 2000 as a Harvard freshmen looking for a way to pass the knowledge, strength, and inspiration of strong women in history and the local community on to elementary school-aged girls. The 7-year-old program has achieved tremendous success, earning Hyde numerous awards including a prestigious 2007 National Jefferson Award, the Nobel Prize for public service. Last year 45 students from CMU, University of Pittsburgh, and Duquesne University volunteered as mentors to more than 150 girls throughout Pittsburgh�s city schools. The program was a hit and the decision was made to establish a Pittsburgh office.
�We hear from parents that our mentors are such phenomenal role models,� Hyde exudes. �The girls really look up to them. It really widens the scope of what they can imagine for themselves.�
Lynne Garfinkle, a past president of the National Council of Jewish Women, has been named as the director of the Pittsburgh office, which will locate along with the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pa. in the Strip District.
�Pittsburgh is a phenomenal place for us to be,� she adds. �It�s really exciting to see how much innovation is going on here, creative new programs like the Girls Math and Science Partnership that have helped us recreate our programs. I love the collaborative nature of the community.�
Strong Girls is supported by the FISA Foundation and the Eden Hall Foundation.
By: Deb SmitSource: Lindsay Hyde, Strong Women, Strong Girls
Image courtesy of Strong Women, Strong Girls
When a major regional disaster strikes, emergency responders often need the assistance of the private sector to get the job done. The Private Assets for Regional Responders (PARR) initiative seeks to connect emergency crews with local companies, asking them to pledge their assets in times of need.
Westinghouse Electric has already signed on.
�For businesses to pledge to the emergency responders is a huge benefit in a time of disaster,� explains Mike Comiskey, executive director of the Pittsburgh Regional Business Coalition for Homeland Security. �An expert in radiological or chemical issues can help protect our people. And companies who join can draw on the system for their own benefit, so it works on both sides.�
The initiative, launched this month, is being developed by the PRBCHS, the Allegheny County Fire Marshall and the Region 13 Emergency Management Task Force. There is no cost to businesses to be part of the database.
The database enables responders to quickly identify private sector assets such as equipment, tools, facilities, and subject experts that could be useful in response and recovery phases of a disaster. Westinghouse Electric, InterTECH Security, First Energy Beaver Valley Nuclear Station and Curtiss Wright Electromechanical Corp. are among the first to join.
PRBCHS was formed in January 2005 at the suggestion of the Department of Homeland Security. It assists businesses in Western Pennsylvania prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, technological disasters, or terror attacks.
Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Mike Comiskey, PRBCHS
Robots are an integral part of who we are in Pittsburgh. It was in the 1930s that Westinghouse Corp. unveiled ELEKTRO, the walking, talking robot that ultimately resulted in the beginnings of the early robotics industry in Pittsburgh and the development of CMU�s Robotics Center.
In celebration of the city�s 250 anniversary, CMU will look to the future and the potential for robotics in our region. Through several initiatives, Robot 250 will hold juried robotic art installations, offer open studio opportunities for the public to create robots, and stage robo tours, just a few of the the many ways the region will celebrate its robotic roots.
�We want people know there is some cool stuff going on and they don�t need to leave Pittsburgh, says Dennis Bateman, CMU project director for Robot 250. �We are really interested in seeing what a couple hundred kids and families can come up with.�
During the final phase of the celebration, Pittsburgh�s regional robotic heroes will be placed at public sites, highlighting robots working in our hospitals, bomb squads, pharmacies, search & rescue, industries and universities.
The Robotics Institute has raised $100,000 from The Heinz Endowments for the project and it hopes to receive additional funding from other sources this week. Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Dennis Bateman, CMU
Image courtesy of Robot 250 and CMU
The Pittsburgh Foundation, one of the oldest community foundations in the U.S.and the 14th largest, announced $8.9 million in grants for the first quarter of 2007, funding that will benefit the Pittsburgh community, families, youth, healthcare, women, and minorities.
"Our grantmaking once more represents a sign of support for a great many non-profits as we strive to strengthen our community to the benefit of families, individuals, and organizations,� says John Ellis, Foundation spokesman.
The Foundation distributed $1.4 million from its unrestricted Community Fund to support an array of local programs in the five areas of education, economic development, the arts, health and families, children and youth. A total $135,000 in scholarships were also awarded.
Grants for this period included $250,000 to the Minority & Women Educational Labor Agency to support the development of a structured bond payment program to increase the capacity of women and minority owned construction businesses in the region, the expansion of a performing arts productions for Pittsburgh's youth and a new care facility for premature infants and on-going child care.Approximately $7.3 million in grants were awarded to non-profits in Pittsburgh, across the U.S., and other parts of the world. Among these was $300,000 awarded to the University of Pittsburgh School of Education to support its classroom excellence initiative, helping local school districts track student performance through a specialized data management system. The Children�s Home of Pittsburgh received $222,500 to establish a Transitional Pediatric Care Program, which provides continuing treatment for premature and high-risk infants previously accommodated in the Home�s neonatal intensive care unit.Another grant will help introduce the EdInsight program to 10 regional schools districts in the next two years and will help develop a Share Resource Library of lessons that teachers can access to design study programs for students.More information on the grants and the process may be found by visiting the foundation�s website www.pittsburghfoundation.org.
Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: John Ellis, Pittsburgh Foundation
Pennsylvania�s high tech industry added 3,500 jobs in 2005 and venture capital growth climbed 64 percent in 2006, according to a report published by AeA, the country�s largest technology trade association.
�It�s good news for our region,� reflects Catherine Mott, managing partner with Blue Tree Capital in Pittsburgh. �Since venture capital invests in innovation and new companies, and the most entrepreneurial regions seem to demonstrate healthier regional economies, an upward trend in venture capital can be nothing but good news.�
Among the findings posted by the report, �Cyberspace 2007: A Complete State-by-State Overview of the High Technology Industry,� Pennsylvania was the 8th largest cyberstate, employing 203,765 high tech workers. Others findings include:
Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: AeA, Catherine Mott, Blue Tree Capital
Pittsburgh ranked number three in the top 10 �North American Cities of the Future� in the April 2007 issue of Foreign Direct Investment (fDi) magazine, published by the Financial Times group in London. The category of major cities showed Chicago coming in at number one followed by Toronto then Pittsburgh.
Every two years, fDi selects its cities--from those that participate--through a �rigorous market research process� that compares cities from across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Pittsburgh rated in the category of cities, out of 108 considered, with a population over two million. In addition, it ranked as number one in the most �cost effective� cities for business and landed in the number two spot for the best infrastructure.
�The Cities of the Future is not your average list by your average publication,� notes Michael Langley, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. �This recognition indicates the growing prominence of southwestern Pennsylvania as a key area for global investment.�
�Recognizing Pittsburgh as a �City of the Future� highlights the many benefits that the city and region have to boast,� adds William Peduto, Pittsburgh councilman. �The world is discovering what we already know: Pittsburgh is a great place to grow a business, raise a family and invest resources for the future.�
Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Michael Langley, Allegheny Conference, William Peduto and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance
Photograph copyright © Jonathan Greene
In a unique meeting of similar minds, two bioscience investment firms, one from Pittsburgh and the other from Cleveland, are teaming up to explore working together to accelerate the bioscience sectors of both regions. The pairing is the first of its kind.
BioEnterprise, Greater Cleveland�s bioscience business initiative, and Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG), a private/public partnership that invests in and supports the growth of bioscience companies in southwestern Pennsylvania, have enough in common and are close enough geographically to significantly help each other grow.
Long before it was politically correct to be an environmentalist, there was Pittsburgh�s own Rachel Carson, one of the world�s earliest environmental innovators who pushed the science of our planet to the forefront.
This year, in honor of her 100th birthday, the Rachel Carson Homestead Association (RCHA) will honor her legacy through several events. A famous admirer, the legendary Dr. E.O. Wilson who researched a chapter on fire ants for her book, will attend one and speak in her honor.
�In the greening of Pittsburgh movement, we have a built in hero,� explains Patricia M. DeMarco, executive director of the RCHA. Carson watched the smoke of the mills fill the skies from her Springfield home, DeMarco muses. �She was so articulate and credible, she was the prime mover for the entire environmental movement internationally. She is a historic artifact beyond just her concerns about DDT.�
A concert at the Sen. John Heinz History Center kicks off on April 20th at 5:00 p.m. and features the Indigo Girls, following the Women�s Health and the Environment Conference.
A Block Party and Sustainable Feast, held May 27, 2007at the homestead in Springdale, brings Pittsburgh�s leading chefs together. Under the direction of big Burrito Group�s executive chef, Bill Fuller, the event will showcase organic and locally grown produce, meat and dairy from the region�s sustainable agriculture.
Pittsburgh�s First Annual Rachel Carson Legacy Conference on Friday, Sept. 29, 2007: �Sustaining the Web of Life in Modern Society� at Carnegie Mellon University, with keynote speaker Dr.E. O. Wilson. Sessions include: Global Warming; Perspectives on Health of Our Oceans; Environmental Leadership & Changing the Way We Live.The Rachel Carson Spirit & Nature conference on Nov. 3rd links the earth-stewardship lessons contained in all world religions with sustainable living. It will be held at Chatham College.Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Patricia M. DeMarco and Fiona Fisher, RCHA
Image courtesy of the Rachel Carson Homestead
Sycor Americas Inc., an information and communications technology consulting firm, announced it will relocate its U.S. headquarters to Penn Center West and will hire at least 80 new staff within the first three years.
Competition among cities was fierce, but Pittsburgh won out thanks to the regional workforce, close proximity to the universities, the region�s focus on technology and industry development, and an enticing state and county incentive package.
The Allegheny Conference worked with the Governor�s Action Team (GAT) and Sycor to secure a $360,000 investment package that was presented by Dennis Yablonsky, state secretary of community and economic development, in Robinson last week. The package includes a grant of up to $100,000 through the Opportunity Grant Program, up to $100,000 in customized job training funds, and $160,000 in job creation tax credits.
"These will be professional high paying jobs, consultants, and systems analysts. There will be plenty of hires locally and a number from outside of the region as well, " reports Yablonsky.Sycor is an international information and communications technology consulting firm that advises its clients in chemical processing and the medical device manufacturing industry.
Writer: Debra Diamond Smit and Jennifer BaronSource: Dennis Yablonsky, GAT
The news is good--the Pittsburgh region is fast becoming one of the biggest venture capital (VC) success stories in the country, and Pennsylvania ranks third in the country for total VC jobs. A decade ago, venture capital investing in Pittsburgh was a blip on the national radar, number 31 to be exact, down from cities like San Francisco, Boston, and New York. Data compiled by the National Venture Capital Association, Thomson Financial, and PWC Money Tree for 2006 shows the Pittsburgh region at number 16, one of the largest relative increases in venture capital (VC) investment among all regions in the United States. Of the top 40 U.S. metro areas in 1997, Pittsburgh VC grew at the fastest rate relative to its starting point.In addition, Pennsylvania venture-backed companies added the most U.S. jobs in the 2003-2005 period at 167,000, beating Texas and California.Catherine Mott, managing partner with Blue Tree Capital, sees a tremendous entrepreneurial spirit emerging in the region. When Blue Tree launched in late 2003, there were few outside investors knocking on the doors. Now, investors are tracking her down. �What we are sensing is that there is an interest in outside venture firms in what is happening in Pittsburgh," says Mott. "Pittsburgh is one of the richest areas in the country for intellectual property. We�re finally getting known for it."It helps that Pittsburgh is 7th in the country in National Institute of Health funding, Mott adds. With the help of seed money organizations like Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, Innovation Works , and Idea Foundry, new companies like RedPath are taking off.
Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Catherine Mott, Blue Tree Capital; National Venture Capital Association
Teresa Heinz has a message for the women of her hometown and on April 20th she will offer it through a free, day-long conference, �Women�s Health and the Environment, New Science, New Solutions� at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
"I can't think of a better place to bring this conversation than my hometown," said Teresa Heinz, who has been running a parallel conference in Boston over the past decade. "Perhaps more than any other city in America, Pittsburgh has demonstrated both the will and the way to overcome the consequences of envrionmental degradation -- especially that which negatively affects women's health. The conference will focus on science, but also on solutions being developed in our own region."
The conference features an illustrious panel of well-known scientists, environmentalists and activists, including Heinz, Fran Drescher, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee who successfully battled cancer, and Leslie Davis, president of Magee-Women�s Hospital. Speakers will address cutting-edge topics on women�s health care, especially as they relate to the environment as well as policies for the future. For more information, and to sign up for the free conference, check the Women�s Health Pittsburgh website. The day is sponsored by the Heinz Foundation and Magee Women�s Hospital.
Following the conference, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the Indigo Girls will play at the Rachel Carson Legacy Celebration at the John Heinz History Center in commemoration of a year-long celebration of her committment to a sustainable environment. Tickets for the special performance are $50.Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Doug Root, the Heinz Foundation
Image courtesy of Women's Health and the Environment Conference
Images in unusual spaces and flash-based websites were just two of the latest in ads that attracted attention at this year�s Pittsburgh American Advertising Awards on March 2nd at Club Zoo in the Strip District. Winners advancing to the next regional level will be judged in New York City on March 26th.
What made the awards�better known as the Addys--different this year was the addition of a �non-traditional� category, ads that pop up in unexpected ways and places. It's the latest idea to sweep the country.
Blattner Brunner, who dominated with 17 golds and 25 silvers, won two in the new category: one for Zippo lighters�elevator doors that come together to create a picture�and another that featured snapshots of clothing scattered up the steps in a mall and the words, �where will a little candlelight lead you?�
�The new category is reflective of the marketplace, where we are today, in sending messages to our audiences,� explains Michael Brunner of Blattner Brunner. �To us it was a canvas that wasn�t used before. It surprises people in a way that isn�t intrusive.�
In the �Interactive media: consumer flash-based website category,� web and online marketing firm Ripple Effects Interactive received a gold for the Advertising Council�s TV Boss campaign, designed to help parents learn television blocking technology.
"The annual ADDY Awards serve as a testament to the rich talent hard at work in this region, and as Pittsburgh's largest web marketing agency,� says Paul Magnani, president of Ripple Effects. �We are proud to be a part of the cutting-edge work that comes out of this city."
To view the TV Boss campaign, click on www.TheTVBoss.org.
Writer: Debra Diamond SmitSource: Michael Brunner, Blattner Brunner & Paul Magnani, Ripple Effects
To connect graduate, undergraduate students and interns with �the best and brightest tech employers� in the 13-county region, the Pittsburgh Technology Council is hosting @pghcafe, a unique job fair free to job seekers.
@pghcafe (At Pittsburgh Caf�) will be held March 2, from 1:30 until 5:30 p.m. at Carnegie Mellon University�s University Center gymnasium. The atmosphere? Interactive and informal�no ties please�with music, prizes and refreshments. While job seekers are free, Council members pay $250 for admission while non-members pay $350.
Expected to draw 300 job seekers across a wide range of career interests, @pghcaf� is sponsored by PNC in partnership with the Regional Internship Center. The unique job fair was started 10 years ago to convince graduating students they didn�t need to leave town to good tech jobs, "to make them aware that we have a very competitive market, a growing hub and center of excellence," says Kevin Lane, spokesperson for the Tech Council. With more than 140,000 students in 33 area universities, there�s no lack of talent. The goal of the Tech Council is to retain talent in southwestern PA.
The Pittsburgh Technology Council is the first and largest regional technology trade association in the United States with nearly 1,350 member companies. Its focus is on developing the economic strength of three main industry clusters: information technology, life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
The Regional Internship Center (RIC) actively works with employers in developing internship programs and connects them to students in the area.
To register for the job fair email firstname.lastname@example.com or call (412) 918-4229.
Writer: Tracy CertoSource: Kevin Lane, Pittsburgh Technology Council
Image courtesy of Pittsburgh Technology Council
The City of Pittsburgh has teamed up with Allegheny County for high-tech savings. Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl have struck a deal to create a joint telecommunications contract with Verizon Business as part of an ongoing plan to streamline crossover operations.
The savings will be in the millions for both the county ($3 million) and the city ($1.5 million) over the next three years and will help the City-County better serve its residents. Mayor Ravenstahl noted that Pittsburghers should save about 50 percent on city bills.
The new agreement will enhance services for residents as well as improve technologies for public safety and disaster services. This cooperative effort bringing together the two governments will make it easier to grow, expand, and connect innovative technologies in the future while maintaining costs.
�This joint contract represents a significant win for the taxpayers of Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, and it�s another important step in our effort to reduce costs and increase efficiencies through City-County cooperation,� said Onorato.
Writer: Sherrie FlickSource: Kevin Evanto
Think small to get big. That's the message in a lecture on what regional business leaders can learn from Bayer's Leadership in Nanotechnology. And when presenter Robert Kumpf suggests thinking small, he means really small. Nanotechnology deals with the production of structures less than 100 nanometers in size�that�s one billionth of a millimeter.
�We had a classical approach at Bayer," says Kumpf, "and we kind of
blew that all up and started all over again." Since the model of innovation changed, he says, "We now need to ask external questions, what are the global
trends? With whom do we want to partner to innovate? A company then
needs to communicate how it's being innovating.�
Bob Kumpf joined the Bayer Corporation in 1988 as a research chemist after receiving his Ph.D. from Penn State. On Friday, February 2nd at the CEO Forum of Pittsburgh he will show that he hasn�t given up experiments, even as vice president and chief administrative officer of Bayer MaterialScience, one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America.
�We want to see what Bob has done at Bayer and how it can apply to growing companies here in Pittsburgh," says James E. Hoffman, Jr., president of the CEO Forum. "He will talk about nanotechnology and that�s surprising in relation to a company that�s known for aspirin. Bob will help teach our leaders to think differently.�
Writer: Sherrie FlickSources: James E. Hoffman, Jr.; Robert Kumpf
Image courtesy of Robert Kumpf
In December, Preservation Pittsburgh,
an all-volunteer organization that advocates for preserving the rich heritage
of the region, hired its first executive director, Steven Paul.
An anonymous foundation grant funded the position which will also allow for a
strategic planning process to be completed this spring that will drive activity
the next two to three years, says Paul.
The 38-year-old North Point Breeze resident was a board
member of the 15-year-old organization which recently and successfully advocated
to save St. Nicholas Church, the first Croatian Catholic Church in North America, by re-routing Rt. 28. The group is currently
interested in saving three buildngs in Market Square as well as the adaptive
reuse of the Civic Arena.
�Around the world there aren�t many cities that have the
diversity of architecture the way this city does. People come from all over the
world to see our buildings,� says Paul. �Architecture is a part of it but it�s
the greater sense of place. Preservation serves as an economic tool for
revitalizing our community.That �s the central message we�re seeking to promote.�-- TC
Source: Steven Paul, Preservation Pittsburgh
Image courtesy of Steven Paul
With the help of a new Web-based geographical information system, local government and community organizations will be able to collect and track community data with a few clicks of the mouse. The Pittsburgh Neighborhood and Community Information System (PNCIS), which provides demographic, social, property planning and economic information, was demonstrated Monday in Hazelwood to a group of community leaders, including Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "We will lead the way as we move forward with our investment in cutting-edge technology and management tools to enable our city to run efficiently, giving us and our partners the tools to make smart, prompt decisions based upon solid data," says Ravenstahl.
The software integrates more than 50 key indicators--from building permits to code violations to demographic info--from multiple data sources to provide a snapshot of neighborhood conditions. Consistent data for all neighborhoods is available to every participating organization, with one point of contact for users and data providers.
�It allows community groups to really target inventory in a way they couldn�t before without that information,� says Bob Gradeck of the Center for Economic Development at CMU, one of the four groups behind the software. The others are the University of Pittsburgh, 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development (PPND).
�It�s available in simple, easy to use format that decision makers can access instantaneously,� says Grant Ervin of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania. �The big thing is it will save time and money.� --TC
Source: Grant Ervin, PPND, Bob Gradeck, CMU
Image courtesy of Carnegie Mellon Center for Economic Development
While Pittsburgh has a robust economy, it needs to focus on sustained growth in the rate of technology start-ups to be competitive with similar markets, according to two reports issued by the Greater Oakland Keystone Innovation Zone (GO KIZ).
The reports, by the Milken Institute and Battelle Memorial Institute, provided �really good analysis and confirmation of strengths and weaknesses and suggestions for activities across a very broad spectrum of policies and programs,� says Don Smith. chairman of the GO KIZ Board of Directors and director of the University Partnership of Pittsburgh. The most important message? Since 65% of the difference in regional growth rates is accounted for by tech growth, everyone in the region needs to be concerned, he says. �The whole purpose of the study was to mobilize the region.�
While Smith can not offer any numbers at this time, he says, �What the KIZ is working on right now is how many additional start-ups we think we can hope to foster.�
To achieve suggested growth, they will focus on four main areas: 1. Increase the pool of experienced entrepreneurial managers 2. Increase amount of early stage risk capital3. Attract new anchor companies to help recruit top talent4. Build upon the physical environment such as available or incubation lab space and step-up space in close proximity to other companies, universities and hospitals.
�Our priority plans will emphasize efforts to pump up tech start-ups. It�s something we believe in, and these reports reinforce the impact those kinds of efforts can have,� Smith adds.
Writer: TCSource: Don Smith, GO KIZ
Veteran private investors and entrepreneurs Stephen Robinson, Edward Engler and Robert Dickson have been selected to manage a new angel investment fund in Pittsburgh called the Pittsburgh Early Growth Partners LP, also known as PEP. Previously referred to as the Pittsburgh Angel Fund, the fund is a new investment source for early-stage technology companies.
The goal? �We�re going to raise a substantial amount of capital and make a significant impact on the startup technology community,� says Ed Engler, founder and until recently CEO of Summa Technology, a software development company. �And our focus is on information and medical technology. �There is not enough capital in this region to support the opportunites that arise," Engler says. The fund, better known as PEP (the name might change, warns Engler but the acronym will stay the same) was created by Innovation Works, the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, and the state�s Department of Community and Economic Development. Together they committed $2 million to operate and seed the fund.
The trio of partners, selected from an RFP process, will seek investors and potential deals, perform due diligence, make investments, and track the fund�s key performance indicators. In addition, they will draw on their considerable business expertise and industry contacts to assist the dozen or more portfolio companies in which they plan to invest over the next five years.
Steve Robinson is the managing general partner of Robinson Venture Partner while Engler is also founder of Summa VentureWorks, which funds seed-stage companies targeting the enterprise software market. Bob Dickson is chief financial officer for CardiacAssist, Inc. a local medical device company.--TC
Source: Ed Engler