MARCH 2009
View the 'Events' Section
Ample R&D Supports our Thriving Advanced Technology Sector
By now you know that the Pittsburgh region has traded its smoky, steel-town
image for a high-tech, green one. While technology plays a critical
role in our diverse economic portfolio, it’s supported by a strong
network of R&D institutions and funding – a combination that
has contributed to our region’s relatively soft landing amid
national economic turmoil. Two recent articles explore the depth and
breadth of our technology investments and the bright future they are
building for the Pittsburgh region.
Check out these two articles from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Region Sitting Pretty as Technology Advances
“In the not-too-distant future, robots will serve meals to people with
disabilities, and cars with collision-avoidance devices will help older drivers
compensate for mild impairments. Pittsburgh could be the place where scientists
match new technologies with research into disabilities and aging to develop
and manufacture new products. Read
more
Pittsburgh: a Haven for Thriving Hi-tech
“The $1 billion of research funding that funnels into the University
of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University every year makes Western Pennsylvania ‘a
player’ in the technology arena … Start-up companies [often using
nano approaches, environmentally sustainable practices, biofuels and robotics]
appear by the dozens every year … [while] active research and development
operations span the academic, start-up and corporate arenas … Established
powerhouses use cutting-edge techniques in their specialty areas – such
as Downtown's U.S. Steel Corp. and PPG Industries Inc. in glass and paint and
Robinson's Bayer Corp. in materials. Internet security continue[s] its emergence …” Read
more
More Economic Development News
The Wall Street
Journal Features Pittsburgh’s Brownfield Investments
The recent online video from The Wall Street Journal tells the
story of the repurposing of an old steel site, the Carrie Furnace, as
a green development that is ripe for federal stimulus fund investment.
The project is being undertaken by Allegheny County Economic Development
office. The video features County Executive Dan Onorato, Braddock
Mayor John Fetterman and Homestead Mayor Betty Esper. Watch
it now
The New York Times,
FoxNews and "The Colbert Report" Highlight Braddock, Pa.
Braddock, Pa. Mayor John Fetterman has been discussing his efforts to
revitalize the uniquely economically depressed area he serves and the
larger Mon Valley region with a series of major national media outlets.
He explains how the area’s shovel-ready redevelopment projects
could significantly benefit from federal stimulus package assistance.
Fetterman was recently featured in The
New York Times, on Comedy Central's “The
Colbert Report” (see minute 15 for Fetterman’s interview)
and on FoxNews' "Studio
B with Shepard Smith". A Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette article also summarizes this exposure.
Job Demand Strong in Computers, Health
Care, Engineering
“Despite an economy that's measured by how many thousands
of employees lose their jobs each month, people with the right skills in
the right job field can find work plentiful and well-paying. Experts said
growing companies never have enough workers and pointed to specific jobs
in health care, engineering and computer programming fields, to name a
few.” Read
more
Ample Job Opportunities on ImagineMyNewJob.com
KDKA Radio’s Marty Griffin recently sat down with Bill Flanagan,
Executive Vice President of the Allegheny Conference, to discuss the
wealth of opportunities still available in southwestern Pennsylvania – and
accessible at the clearinghouse Web site ImagineMyNewJob.com.
The site pools job listings from all available sources together in one
place and is easily searchable by keyword, salary range and more. Listen
to the interview
Staying and Hiring: Waters
Corp. Buys Pittsburgh's Thar Instruments
“One of Pittsburgh’s most promising green technology companies,
Thar Instruments, was purchased by global laboratory giant Waters Corp. this
month … [The company] will remain in the RIDC Park in O’Hara Township
[and] expects hiring and major growth as a result of the sale.” Read
More
Airport Area Business Site Development
Citing great visibility and access as advantages, “Burns & Scalo
Real Estate Services plans to build a [45,000 SF] $5 million to $7 million
office building in Findlay later this year, showing confidence in the
Pittsburgh International Airport corridor despite the economic slowdown. ‘We
wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Allegheny County and the airport
authority's efforts to develop sites into shovel-ready pads, and bring
the utilities to the sites,’ Scalo said. Those improvements trim
12 to 18 months off development time, and are ‘a true catalyst
for the private sector.’” Read
more
Baker Hughes to Construct $12M
Facility
“Baker Hughes International is expanding its western Pennsylvania presence
and finalizing plans for a new $12 million research and development facility
in Hempfield Twp., just south of New Stanton. Headquartered in Houston, the
global oilfield service company – which has operations in more than 90
countries – is building a 254,000 SF facility that will house a number
of the firm’s drilling technology operations.” Read
more
Elliott Company Leases New
Manufacturing Operation
“The Elliott Company has signed a lease for 147,310 SF
of space at the I-70 [Westmoreland County] Commerce Center. An international
manufacturer of turbines, it runs existing operations in Jeanette and
Donora … The 25-acre Commerce Center – where more than 500
people are currently employed – is actively seeking tenants for
its remaining 40,000 SF of office and 180,000 SF of warehouse space…” Read
more
Six New Startups Join AlphaLab Incubator
“Six new startups have joined AlphaLab,
a software incubator on the South Side [created by Innovation Works] that fosters
the growth of software, Internet and entertainment technology companies in
the region... AlphaLab companies participate in an intensive, 20-week program
and receive a $25,000 investment, office space and business mentoring from
a team of industry experts.” Read
more
A Business Site’s
Continuous Growth: 20 Years at Southpointe
Southpointe, built in 1989, is today a 680-acre mixed use international
business campus that supports some 7,500 employees and residents. “[The
developer, Horizon,] is in the midst of building out Southpointe II on
225 acres adjacent to the original Southpointe, having built the unique
headquarters building for Consol Energy Inc. and an adjacent building
for Consol subsidiary Fairmont Supply.” More office space, a Hilton
hotel and a multiplex theater will join these developments. Read
more
New Industrial Park
Under Construction
“The first phase of the Findlay Industrial Park, on 54 acres, is under
construction. Jerry Bunda, president of Imperial Land Corp., developer of the
300-acre light industrial complex, said two of six lots have been sold. Work
is to start soon on a 16-acre parcel that EBW Realty Associates LP bought for
a 150,000 SF distribution center for the Appliance Dealers Cooperative.” Read
more
A National First: GBA’s
Green Building Assistance Program
“Keeping the region on the frontline of innovative green product development
is the key behind the latest round of grants from the Pittsburgh
Green Building Alliance. Five local recipients received a piece of the
$240,000 pie as part of the Green
Products Initiative this month. The program is the first of its kind to
target product manufacturers in the U.S. and the region.” Read
more
Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse
Hits $13M with Nine New Companies
Pittsburgh
Life Sciences Greenhouse reported thriving activity this month,
hitting $13.2 million in direct investments and 57 companies that have
attracted more than $400 million in additional funding to the region.” Read
more
Ready, Set, Go: Nonstop Flights
to Paris and the World Beyond!
Nonstop air service via Delta from Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport begins on June 3. If
you’re planning business in Europe this spring, consider timing
your trip to take the June 3 inaugural flight, along with a delegation
of regional business leaders. Our region’s newest advantage
for competing in today’s world markets, the nonstop flight from
Pittsburgh to Europe was a key priority of the Allegheny Conference and
the PRA last year. From de Gaulle Airport, Air France – Delta’s
partner – offers convenient connecting flights to 90+ destinations
in Europe, India and the Middle East. High-speed rail service can
also connect travelers arriving in Paris to many leading business markets. Learn
more about joining the inaugural flight or booking another nonstop flight
from Pittsburgh to Paris.
More News From Pittsburgh International
Airport (PIT): Airline growth, New Construction, New Service
- PIT recently released December 2008 Traffic Report reflects that
nine airport have reported growth, four with gains greater than 10
percent. Also, five airlines showed growth of more than 30 percent
since 2002. Read
more
Business Quick Guide: New
Online Directory Provides Growth Tools to Businesses
“A quick, easy [and up-to-date] online guide to 150 non-profit agencies
[is] offering business development assistance [in] the region. Pittsburgh
Regional Alliance, Duquesne
University’s Small Business Development Center and Small
Business Councils have come together to create the 10-county region’s
first one-stop, searchable database, the Business
Quick Guide, to help business owners and entrepreneurs. "This provides
an easy way for entrepreneurs and new businesses not in Pittsburgh – who
are considering coming to the region – to look at and access the resources
available here. Most business decisions are made online, it’s demanded
by the marketplace,’ says Dewitt Peart, PRA president. ‘The beauty
of it is that it won’t be static.’” Read
more
New Fund Aids Minority Entrepreneurs
“A partnership led by a unit of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks
Foundation has established a $1.75 million fund to increase minority entrepreneurship
in this region. The Metropolitan Loan Fund of Pittsburgh is a public/private
collaboration intended to provide flexible financing and technical assistance
to new and existing businesses in the … Pittsburgh region.” Read
more
PRA E-Diaries from Vietnam in Pittsburgh
Business Times
Recently, a delegation of business and academic leaders from the region,
organized by the PRA, traveled to Vietnam to explore business development
opportunities. While in Vietnam with the delegation, PRA Senior
Vice President of Global Marketing Roger Cranville prepared an e-diary
about the experience and the unfolding potential for public and private
sector partnerships with the Vietnamese. Visit the PRA
homepage and scroll down to read Cranville’s diaries, or read
the “Engage
Vietnam” press release here.
A Skilled Workforce: New
College Robotics Training Programs
“A two-year robotics training program [is] being offered at many colleges
in association with Carnegie Mellon University. The program is aimed at training
people to be robotic technicians and to provide skills used in a number of
industries like mining and construction. Students will also be trained at making
products like automobiles and medical equipment.” Read
more
Pittsburgh University Physicist
Further Shrinks Computer Technology
“Jeremy Levy [of the University of Pittsburgh] has reduced computer technology
to nanoscale size. In a study published yesterday in Science, he created
a transistor that is only 2 nanometers, which approaches the atomic scale.
With further development, the single technology could be used to shrink the
size of computing power and storage.” Read
more
mSpoke Helps Make Pittsburgh
a Digital Social Media Hub
“Downtown startup mSpoke is on the frontier of e-trade with two software
platforms at the hot intersection of the semantic and implicit web, an area
that involves the synthesis of personal web data that will revolutionize the
science of online publishing.” Read
more
No. 1 in the Nation: ANSYS
is Top Software/Services Company
“Downtown startup mSpoke is on the frontier of e-trade with two software
platforms at the hot intersection of the semantic and implicit web, an area
that involves the synthesis of personal web data that will revolutionize the
science of online publishing.” Read
more
No. 1 in U.S. Business: Financial
Times Ranks Katz MBA Program the “Best Value for the Money”
“The Financial Times has ranked the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M.
Katz Graduate School of Business’ full-time MBA program No.1 in the United
States for the third consecutive year in the “Best Value for the Money” category
and 8th in the world in that category.” Read
more
Indiana County’s Kovalchick
Convention and Athletic Complex Construction Begins
Construction officially began Feb. 16 for Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s
$53.49 million (KCAC). The KCAC, on schedule for completion in summer
2011, is a 150,000 SF facility to be located along Wayne Avenue adjacent
to the university. It will house the John P. Murtha Institute for Homeland
Security, the 5,000-seat Ed Fry Arena, the 650-seat Christine Toretti
auditorium, a conference center, grand lobby and commercial kitchen.
There are also plans for a hotel adjacent to the KCAC.
EVENTS
March 5, 2009 – Partnering
and Nano-izing for Market Growth
Now, more than ever, commercialization success in nanotechnology requires
partnerships – between nano entrepreneurs, midsize and large manufacturers,
and research organizations. Dr. Scott Rickert, a 20-year veteran of commercialized
nanotechnology, will discuss how to find the right partners and work
together for growth. He’ll discuss what to look for in a partner,
what you need to bring to the table, key capabilities for success, how
to fast track projects and avoid blind alleys. From 7-9:15 a.m.
March 9, 2009 – LEED
the Way to Green Buildings - Part II: An External Commercial Green
Building
At this workshop, Byron Falchetti, president, Standard Property Corporation:
A Highmark Company & Chairman, Green Building Alliance of Pittsburgh
will present the four levels of green building certification, and the
evolution of green design & performance measures in our region. Highmark’s
Silver Certified Data Center will be presented as an example of green
design and construction. From noon - 4 p.m. at the Regional Enterprise
Tower, downtown Pittsburgh. Cost: $15 (includes lunch and workshop materials).
March 30-31, 2009 – Green$ense
From green jobs and the economy to entire neighborhoods and the implementation
of innovative new ideas, Green$ense 2009 offers a series of sessions outlining
key steps to address these subjects. Green$ense is a premier regional conference
being held in downtown Pittsburgh that highlights green building strategies
and features breakout sessions and case studies with local and national
speakers. Featuring keynote speakers Jerome Ringo, president of the Apollo
Alliance; Harvey Bernstein, vice president, analytics, alliance, and strategic
initiatives for McGraw-Hill Construction; and Joe Van Belleghem, partner
at Windmill Developments.
March 21, 2009 – The
Tri County Oil & Gas Expo (Washington, Greene and Fayette counties)
The development of natural gas from Marcellus Shale offers great potential
for southwestern Pennsylvania's economic future. From direct employment
and compensation and beyond to suppliers and distributors, the industry
brings a wealth of opportunity to small towns and large urban areas across
the Commonwealth, particularly in Washington, Greene and Fayette Counties,
learn how YOUR BUSINESS CAN PROSPER from the positive economic impact
of Marcellus Shale. The Tri County Oil & Gas expo "Business
to Business" is your opportunity to learn how to position your business
to meet a growing demand in the industry. From 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the
Greene County Fairgrounds, Waynesburg, Pa. Free admission.
June 4, 2009 – 11th
Annual Entrepreneurs Growth Conference
Join us for this extraordinary one-day event that that has helped thousands
of both large and small businesses, seize opportunities, overcome challenges,
conquer new markets and maximize profitability. Achieve the full potential
of your business-whether you're just starting out or striving for that
next million dollar level with information on the latest business trends
and growth-building strategies, inspirational keynote addresses from
nationally renowned entrepreneurs and one of largest gatherings of entrepreneurial
leaders and resources in Pennsylvania.
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