Pittsburgh Mayor to Lead 'Tech City' Tour for SSTI Conference

Tom Murphy says when he first took office as Mayor of Pittsburgh in January 1994, the city was suffering from one of the worst inferiority complexes in its history. To be sure, Pittsburgh once was known first and foremost as being the capital of steelmaking in the U.S. By 1994, the devolution of U.S. steelmakers during the past 25 years had taken its toll on the steel city, physically, economically and psychologically.



Boy, have things changed in seven years! Rightfully proud of what has been accomplished and demonstrating the city's top-level commitment to being competitive in a tech-based economy, Mayor Murphy will lead SSTI's upcoming Policy In Practice tour of Pittsburgh's revitalization on September 19.



The foundation and unifying theme on which Pittsburgh's successful transformation is based – and true of any effective tech-based economic development effort – is an enduring commitment to public-private partnership at several different levels: state, local and regional governments, research institutions, community leaders, business and industry, foundations, education systems, and workers.



The commitment and integral involvement of strong organizations – such as the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, the Center for Economic Development at Carnegie Mellon University, the Heinz Endowments, Innovation Works, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Community & Economic Development, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and the University of Pittsburgh – made Pittsburgh's transformation possible. Having leaders with an enthusiastic understanding of what it takes to build a tech-based economy, as Pittsburgh has in Mayor Tom Murphy, made the transformation happen.



The results of Pittsburgh's cooperative efforts have paid off; the city boasts a new economic base today. New technology clusters – information technology, biomedical/ biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and robotics, advanced materials and environmental technology – account for the city's major industry. Indeed, Pittsburgh is home to more than 900 software firms and specializes in tissue engineering, specialty metal alloys, and engineered plastics and chemicals. In addition, schools such as Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University are either in or near the city, which is in a southwestern Pennsylvania region that includes 29 colleges and universities. Southwestern Pennsylvania is recognized for its lead in medical research and technology in the organ transplant surgery, diabetes, cardiology and cardiothoractic surgery.



Mayor Murphy's tour for SSTI will include projects symbolic of the region’s rebirth from heavy industry to innovative research and technology. The group will visit the Pittsburgh Technology Center, an impressive research park built on a brownfield site of a former steel mill. Mayor Murphy also will take participants to the McGowan Center for Artificial Organ Development, which performs world-class research and is spinning off businesses that are bringing its research to the marketplace.



Mayor Murphy understands that a strong tech-based economy take a vibrant quality of life to succeed. He has directed more than $4 billion in new investment in the city since 1994 – from office towers for two of the city's nationally ranked banks to new world-class facilities for the city's professional football and baseball teams to an expanded Downtown convention center. The tour will include quick visits to the two newest additions to the skyline — the beautiful, technologically sophisticated PNC Park and Steelers Stadium.



Mayor Murphy's Policy in Practice Tour event is one of three optional pre-conference activities preceding SSTI's fifth annual conference on September 20-21. More information is available at: http://www.ssti.org/Conf01/conf01.htm [expired]