Pittsburgh Technology Council CEO resigns
BYLINE: Ron DaParma
Steven G. Zylstra, a former Phoenix businessman who headed the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Catalyst Connection business services organization here since 2000, resigned to pursue other interests, officials said today.
John Friel, CEO of medical devices manufacturer Medrad Inc., who is chairman of the technology council's board of directors, said that Zylstra had informed him of his decision on Tuesday.
"I can say Steve's decided to pursue other interests," said Friel, who declined to elaborate on the reason for the resignation.
"Steve has made many contributions to the community and the business community during the past seven years, and we're sorry to see him go. We wish him well."
Friel said the search for a successor will begin immediately. He will call a meeting of the Technology Council's board soon to set up a search committee to handle the process.
In the meantime, Krista Paternostro, senior vice president of operations, will take charge of the day-to-day management of the organizations.
Zylstra, 52, was chosen as CEO of the two regional groups after Ray Christman left to become president of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta.
The two organizations are managed jointly and share office space at the Pittsburgh Technology Center in South Oakland.
The technology council is a 24-year-old organization that has over 1,300 members in Western Pennsylvania. It tracks statistics, links consultants to the needs of members, provides networking sessions and lobbies for technology-friendly public policy issues.
Catalyst Connection, formerly known as Southwestern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center, was founded in 1988 to provide manufacturing assistance and link manufacturers to new technology and processes.
Zylstra also served as CEO of the Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology and the Pennsylvania NanoMaterials Commercialization Center, also are based at the Pittsburgh Technology Center.
Before coming to Pittsburgh, he was director of business development for Phoenix-based Simula Technologies Inc., a unit of Simula Inc.