Swinging for the fences – Andrew Sherman is growing MesoCoat in multiple industries with a revolutionary product
When a company develops an innovative product that is superior to its competition and has applications in multiple industries, chances are it’s on its way to success. That is certainly the case for MesoCoat Inc. and Andrew Sherman, president and CEO. MesoCoat is a venture-backed nanotechnology materials science company fast becoming a world leader in […]
Stewart Kohl: How private equity can help businesses thrive
Capital markets often treat smaller companies like Randy Newman’s song “Short People” suggests: “They got no reason to live.” Access to capital is often the difference between success and failure in business, and that access can be particularly challenging, even for smaller companies. Bank loans are not always possible or favorable, and they can come […]
Grow the city garden – Moving up the entrepreneurial ladder takes innovative thinking
Not long ago my heart sank when I read that the Pittsburgh metropolitan area ranked 48th among the 50 top cities in Entrepreneur magazine’s list of the best cities for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is a Pittsburgh tradition and the life-blood of our future growth. So how can we move up the entrepreneurial ladder? Water the acorns […]
Rivers of Steel exhibit highlights the rise and fall of iron and steel at Jones & Laughlin
Ken Kobus is proud to be a third-generation steelworker, saying, “The mill was always in my life, even as a baby.” He began working at the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. in 1965, spending most of his time at the Hazelwood Coke Works. He worked there from December 1966 until the plant closed in 1998. […]
How Joseph Lacko is helping social media evolve
Joseph Lacko is a patient man, and that’s a trait that is often in short supply in the entrepreneurial world. His ability to sit back and monitor the competitive landscape and let it guide his decisions is one that can easily conflict with those around him. “My goals are a little more abstract,” says Lacko, […]
Terry Davis: Managing hundreds of employees effectively takes leading by example
As CEO of a nonprofit with nearly 500 employees, my primary objective is to provide great services to the individuals entrusted to our care. Over time, it has become very apparent to me that one of the major keys to our agency’s success has been my ability to maximize employee productivity. Nearly 30 years of […]
Jerry Burris is driving continuous improvement methods to create better building products at Associated Materials
When Jerry Burris came to Associated Materials LLC as its new president and CEO in 2011, he joked that he didn’t care whether employees used duct tape, primer or Band-Aids to improve the company’s products, so long as improvements were made. As a certified Six Sigma black belt and Lean practitioner, Burris would never want […]
Luis Proenza: Creating synergy to grow the NEO economy takes partnerships
“America’s colleges and universities have gotten the entrepreneurial bug.” So says a recent report from the U.S. Department of Commerce titled, “The Innovative and Entrepreneurial University.” From my vantage point on various national boards and committees related to our nation’s economic competitiveness, I wonder why it is that business and industry are either unaware of, […]
2014 Medical Mutual Pillar Awards for Community Service — Nonprofit Board Executive Awards
Rick ChouteauPresidentAdopt A Class Board of Directorswww.aacfoundation.com Making connections Rick Chouteau makes sure students have positive role models through Adopt A Class Foundation Under his leadership as the first president of the board of directors of Adopt A Class Foundation, Rick Chouteau has overseen the group’s growth from three members in 2008 to 12. But […]
2014 Medical Mutual Pillar Awards for Community Service — SHARE Award
Stuart AitkenCEOdunnhumbyUSAwww.dunnhumby.com/us Leading the pack How employees get energized to help the needy at dunnhumbyUSA Philanthropy is a worldwide commitment for dunnhumbyUSA and employees get to decide where the effort to meet that commitment is directed. Each fall, through the science company’s Helping Hands program, everyone gets together to decide which nonprofits dunnhumby will […]