SBA Exporter of the Year is Local Scientist Dr. Richard Somiari

News Release
PITTSBURGH  DISTRICT OFFICE          
Release Date:  May 16, 2012
Release Number: PGH12-16      
Contact:  Janet Heyl (412) 395-6560, ext. 103
Janet.Heyl@sba.gov                                                                   
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Local scientist helping world science community unravel medical mysteries named SBA exporter of the year

Dr. Richard Somiari

JOHNSTOWN, PA – This May, people across the country will participate in charitable events for a breast cancer cure while each day Dr. Richard Somiari, president and chief scientific officer of Integrated Technologies & Services International, works with his 11-member scientific team analyzing blood for biomarkers to help develop a blood test that can screen for breast cancer.

“Our research may help to create a blood test that will lead to early detection of breast cancer as it sometimes can take 15 years for a lump to appear,” said Somiari. “The test will be of great service to women in rural areas as well as men – who can also contract breast cancer.”

Recently named SBA Region III and Western Pennsylvania Exporter of the Year, Somiari decided after one year as an intern to study applied science, subsequently completed a PhD in Biochemistry and started working as a scientist, then formed a research facility to share his biotechnology and genetic profiling expertise with the worldwide medical community.

Somiari will be lauded at the Western Pennsylvania SBA May 25th Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 49th annual celebration of National Small Business Week. Like the other 68 district winners, his nomination was forwarded to their respective regional office – in this case Region 3, which spans Delaware, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia – where he became the regional winner.

The breast cancer screening effort is funded by a grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The grant is a rarity for the seven-year-old firm, which relies on exporting its technological services in order to succeed.

Growing up in Nigeria, Somiari spent time at hospitals with his widowed mother, a nurse and the family provider. Witnessing both joyous and sorrowful medical outcomes, he realized he wanted to join the medical research community. Recruited to the area in 2000 to launch the Windber Research Institute, Somiari believes the daily research and analysis his team conducts will help meet tomorrow’s medical needs.

“My main motivation in forming ITSI was to accelerate discovery and the validation of basic research results without going through many bureaucratic layers,” he said. “We offer analytical services on tissue samples, produce analytical testing kits and offer consulting services.”

Somiari, once a fellow at the University of Maryland School Of Medicine, began with virtually no clients in the United States. Instead, his testing kits have been sent to Nigeria and Europe, where he has research contacts.

“The Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission came to me about opportunities to export to Europe and beyond, as everyone wants to export to the United States,” he said. “In the bioscience world, everything that comes out of the U.S. is of the highest standard.”

His company, which utilized three SBA loans for equipment, working capital and construction, has at various times been awarded consulting contracts in South Africa and Nigeria. In Nigeria, ITSI was contracted to design, equip, train and support the Nigerian Defense Headquarters military DNA banking and analysis center. The reference DNA bank will allow identification of fallen military personnel and support biomedical research of national significance. Somiari also began creating analytical kits that ensure accuracy in the biomedical research field.

“This service started by accident as people want to do what we are doing, but in their own laboratory to validate their research. Because samples often arrived in different conditions due to packaging, pre-processing and temperature and this can make the results obtained different,” he explained. “We make kits that are standardized, contain the necessary and appropriate chemicals and even exact protocol on how to perform the analysis.”

ITSI also provides analytical services to help universities and drug manufacturers unlock the mysteries of cancer, often by analyzing proteins and DNA. “Every human being has a unique order of molecules that make up their DNA, and machines can determine the order of the ATCG molecules that make up DNA,” he said. “Certain diseases, like cancer, arise because of sequential errors in DNA.”

He added that the human body has molecules that act as a proofreader and altered sequences detected can be repaired.  But problems arise when errors go unrepaired and multiple errors accumulate over time. “Our research effort is not used to treat patients today, but to gain more insight as today’s medical treatments are the results of studies performed 10-15 years ago.”

According to Somiari, ITSI finally is receiving attention from United States scientists who pore over scientific journals and find out that other scientists have used ITSI’s kits or services. “Scientists have to cite the source of any chemicals used and where they were purchased,” he said. “Therefore, scientists who want to do the same research will naturally purchase the same product, which often is our product.”

Western Pennsylvania SBA District Director Carl Knoblock said that Somiari’s research facility further cements the region as a medical research and technological hub. “He is performing research that will help universities and drug companies throughout the world gain insight into unlocking the mysteries of diseases that plague mankind,” he said. “He has exported his ideas and concepts to a great many countries and now U.S. scientists are taking note. I’m pleased to recognize him as SBA’s Exporter of the Year for Region 3 and Western Pennsylvania.”

Somiari said he was humbled and excited to capture both local and regional exporting honors. “I appreciate the recognition as it truly is an honor to help the medical field succeed.”
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The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.  If you would like to speak with the Dr. Richard Somiari or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Smithmyer Honored as Small Business Person of the Year

News Release
PITTSBURGH  DISTRICT OFFICE          
Contact:  Janet Heyl (412) 395-6560, ext. 103
Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

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Local proprietor carves up win as Western Pennsylvania SBA Small Business Person of the Year award

LORETTO, PA – Residents from 37 different Cambria County zip codes know where the beef is – because they can visit Jay Smithmyer, proprietor of Smithmyer’s Superette, who is the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Western Pennsylvania’s Small Business Person of the Year.

Smithmeyer and eight other local small business owners and advocates will be lauded at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh during SBA’s Western Pennsylvania Awards Luncheon May 25th, held in conjunction with the 49th annual celebration of National Small Business Week.

Smithmyer, 65, has worked in the small business sector his entire life, beginning with working for his father, who founded and sold several small businesses: a service station, coal-mine stripping business and TV picture tube manufacturing venture. His last project, a superette, was purchased by Jay and his wife, Louise, 40 years ago.

“I majored in economics and worked in the store starting in my freshman year at Saint Francis University,” Smithmyer said. “I decided that I enjoyed small town living, made a commitment to stay here and decided to focus on why people shop at our store and what draws them in.”

According to Smithmyer, the major reason people patronize the superette is the selection of fresh-cut meats and its customer service.

“We focused on meats and still do, we can cut 200 different pieces of beef, chicken and poultry,” he said. “Our meat isn’t pre-packaged and we smoke our own meats and offer unique products like homemade Jack Daniels burgers for grilling. We even carry your groceries to the car.”

Smithmyer said a superette sports 5,000-10,000 square feet of selling space and stocks 4,000 to 8,000 items. Since 1965, he’s seen many items come and go.

“When I first started about one-third of the superette was a hardware store and we stocked a section of matches,” he said. “Many name brands have come and gone, but if you walk through the store, you will still find everything you need. We sell the top selling items in each grouping, just not all 33 sizes.”

During his tenure as Smithmyers’s proprietor, he’s also ushered in numerous offerings reflective of societal changes.

In the early ‘70s, Smithmyer said he read a small article on the state legalizing the sale of self-service gasoline. He applied for a license, and Smithmyer became one of the first owner-operators of self-serve gasoline stations in the entire state.

“About that time, the convenience store concept was developing, so we devoted the front end of our store to that,” he said. “Back then we used to sell frozen sandwiches that had to be heated in a microwave, now we prepare approximately 200 fresh-made sandwiches each day.”

Smithmyer, with the help of his family and the Saint Francis University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) also has ventured into social media with a blog and Facebook site as well as an email that informs customers about weekly in-store specials. He said the Facebook site has approximately 600 friends, which is about the same number of people who shop at the superette each day.

A genuine fondness for his hometown has led Smithmyer to become a local curator of Loretto’s past, utilizing wall and upper shelf space to display pictures of the town and products from a bygone era – such as glass-bottle milk and soda containers. Customers regularly donate items knowing their treasures will find a safe haven at the superette.

Smithmyer often donates anonymously to persons in need and lives by his personal mantra: “I like to measure my life not by what I make, but what I do for others,” Smithmyer said. “I’ve never gone to bed hungry and I never want to see anyone else go to bed hungry.”

According to Western Pennsylvania SBA District Director Carl Knoblock, Smithmyer truly exemplifies what it means to be a small business person of the year. “He knows his community, his niche and knows how to position his superette for its continued growth among the large, chain-store grocers,” Knoblock said. “And most importantly, he’s remembered to give back to the community.”

Smithmyer said it was an honor to be selected as the Western Pennsylvania Small Business Person of the Year.  “My family and cow-workers are the reason this superette works,” he said.  “I’m really just a figurehead, and I really enjoy working here and being around other people.”
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The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.

Note:  If you would like to speak with Jay Smithmyer or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

Google Pittsburgh Hosts Small Business Works Seminar

Pittsburgh, PA – May 25, 2011




Small Business Works Seminar continues at Google Pittsburgh



Building Bridges for Business in conjunction with Allegheny County, The City of Pittsburgh, The Small Business Administration, and Duquesne University – Small Business Development Center, continues their highly successful SMALL BUSINESS WORKS at the Pittsburgh headquarters of GOOGLE on June 28, 2011. Andrew Moore, GOOGLE PITTSBURGH, will address the audience. The event will feature everything you need to improve your GOOGLE knowledge to grow your business. SMALL BUSINESS WORKS SEMINARs educate and empower business owners. The key note speaker will inspire attendees and attendees will see first hand how to use resources to start or grow business. The event will be held at Google Pittsburgh 6425 Penn Ave. Suite 700 Pittsburgh, PA 15206 and registration begins at 5:30pm

“Building Bridges For Business should help eliminate barriers by connecting businesses to resource partners,” says Carl Knoblock of the Small Business Administration. The United States SBA has helped small business owners since 1953 by offering loans, contracts, counseling sessions, and other forms of assistance. The Pittsburgh District Office is located downtown.

The five organizations partnered and will host the June and several other Small Business Works events scheduled in neighborhoods in Allegheny County. Every event will provide access to education and the region’s amazing business resources. Additional Small Business Works events will be held in the fall focusing on Welcome to Oz - How being green can benefit you and your business. Details for the June 2011 Small Business Works event are located on www.buildingbridgesforbusiness.org. These events will allow participants to expand networking opportunities and meet valuable business resources at the same time. Sponsors include The Pittsburgh Technology Council, The Pittsburgh Business Times, C-Leveled; Enterprise Rent a Car, Cold Cypress, Minute Man Press, Louis Plung and Company, Staples, and Solutions for Networks, and Comcast Business Class. Register at www.buildingbridgesforbusiness.org.

"The vision for the Building Bridges for Business community is an environment where entrepreneurs can grow and advance their business, support other business owners, and develop as entrepreneurs giving back to their community,” says Building Bridges for Business founder Linda Handley, an entrepreneur, author and business advisor. “We want to bridge the valuable resources in Western Pennsylvania with business owners and residents who want to start a business," says Amanda Wodzenski, President of Building Bridges. Building Bridges for Business was created based on the need Handley and others saw in the area understanding that small and start up business owners have limited finances.

“Pittsburgh has an exceptional variety of excellent sources to start, grow and build a successful business. Getting business to the right source at the right time is our goal at Building Bridges for Business. The right advice and business guidance is crucial for long term success. Timing is everything in business and this is the time to encourage growth and sustainability in our region,” stated JoAnn R. Forester, BBB Board member, 30 plus year business owner of S. I. Business and 2010 YWCA Tribute to Women Honoree.

Building Bridges for Business focuses on business growth, promotion, management, and people who want to launch a new business. In the past year, Building Bridges has grown and showcases over 30+ Pittsburgh resources. Building Bridge’s goal is to create an organization that truly serves the “small” business owner or struggling entrepreneur.

There is no fee or yearly membership rate to join as a general member of Building Bridges for Business. That is one of the major factors that differentiates Building Bridges from other business and networking groups. Additionally, Building Bridges has plans to offer educational webinars empowering and educating entrepreneurs throughout the year. The variety of programming, allows Building Bridges for Business to provide value to the greatest number of education and business resources regardless of budgetary and time constraints. Visit www.BuildingBridgesForBusiness.org for a full listing of resource partners, educational opportunities and events.

Linda Handley
Building Bridges For Business
342 South Highland Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Contact: 412.475.9010, info@buildingbridgesforbusiness.org , www.BuildingBridgesForBusiness.org

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Art Green Lauded as Local SCORE Volunteer of the Year

News Release


PITTSBURGH DISTRICT OFFICE

Release Date:
May 23, 2011
Contact: Janet Heyl
(412) 395-6560, ext. 103

Release Number: PGH11-17 Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

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Former executive receives accolades from SBA

as local SCORE Volunteer of the Year

PITTSBURGH – When Art Green, a retired engineer and quality improvement consultant at Westinghouse, opened the doors to his own consulting firm years ago, he admitted he could have used the assistance of SCORE – America’s Counselor’s to Small Business.

At that time, Green hadn’t yet heard about the volunteer corps of retired and working professionals who lend their expertise counseling area entrepreneurs and small business owners. Ironically, Green, was recently selected as the 2011 Western Pennsylvania District SBA SCORE Volunteer of the Year.

Green and eight other local small business owners and advocates will be lauded at the Western Pennsylvania SBA May 27th Awards Luncheon which will be held at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 48th annual celebration of National Small Business Week.

A native of Ambridge, Pa., Green earned a degree in mathematics from Saint Vincent College and a degree in electrical engineering from [now] Carnegie Mellon University. He went to work at Westinghouse, serving in the process control computer systems engineering division.

“We built control systems to automate steel mills and power plants,” Green said. “The systems controlled the settings, speeds and power to generate optimum output.” But Green did more than build the control systems; he also installed the systems throughout the country and often took his family with him.

“One time I helped install a control system at a steel mill near Chicago and I moved my family out there for about six months; another time we rented a furnished apartment in Phoenix while I did installation work for a power plant,” he said. “The funny thing is those computer control systems were housed in a cabinet that was about seven feet high and today it would fit in a laptop computer.”

Green obtained his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh, transferred out of engineering to finance and accounting and then spent the last third of his Westinghouse career as a quality improvement consultant. He focused on productivity and quality techniques to improve profitability.

“I travelled around the world and the U.S. and when I retired after 34 years, I started my own consulting business and spent time with many U.S. companies and made frequent trips to Saudi Arabia,” he said. “When I became the sole owner of my business, I was the consultant and the marketer and the accountant and I probably did a lot of things wrong.”

While Green was unaware of SCORE and how the organization assists small business owners, a chance golf game introduced him to a local member. In 2005, a now-retired Green joined the Pittsburgh Chapter of SCORE.

“It’s been a great experience and I even have an office – which is the Panera Bread restaurant in Monroeville,” he added chuckling. “I love one-on-one counseling and right now I have about 30 active clients.” Green said he not only helps entrepreneurs determine if they are prepared to start a business, but recently assisted a specialty cleaning operation with their inventory management system.

“I went to their site for a few hours each week for six months to look at their inventory needs,” he said. “I suggested they employ the “Just in Time Management System” that enabled them to never run out of a product or over order… it involves labeling items used and determining the lot size of that item.”

According to Western Pennsylvania SBA District Director Carl Knoblock, Green is prime example of how SCORE volunteers continue to give back to their community. “Here you have a retired executive who for many months lent his productivity and inventory expertise to a small business,” Knoblock said. “It’s a win-win situation for the counselor, the business and the community.”

In addition to counseling, Green serves as the co-chair for Pittsburgh SCORE’s monthly Small Business Basics workshops, in which guest speakers teach topics such as business planning, recordkeeping/taxes, marketing, finance and legal issues.

“Those workshops are my baby, I attend each session to make sure it runs correctly,” he said. “I coordinate the speakers, venue, and catering and have been doing that for five years. In that time we’ve had almost 1,000 attendees.”

Green, who never thought his career would span volunteering and coordinating workshops, said that he was floored to be nominated and even prouder to win. “I spend a great deal of time with SCORE and I enjoy it,” he said. “It’s fun and there are about 20 of us who do part-time counseling. It’s a great experience.”

Note: If you would like to speak with Art Green or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103.
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The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.

Barbara VanKirk Named SBA Woman-Owned Business of the Year

News Release


PITTSBURGH DISTRICT OFFICE

Release Date:
May 20, 2011
Contact: Janet Heyl
(412) 395-6560, ext. 103

Release Number: PGH11-16 Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

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Local engineer computes formula for success and receives honor as SBA Woman-Owned Business of the Year

MURRYSVILLE, PA – Growing up with her 12 brothers and sisters in the Pittsburgh suburbs, Barbara VanKirk often found herself acting as a mediator. She would listen to both sides of their problems and offer a practical solution. Today VanKirk still works as a facilitator, but at her own company: IQ, Inc. As president and CEO, she coordinates the dynamics between her staff of 45, and clients requesting consulting, project management and product development services.

VanKirk has grown her firm from its humble beginning at her family home to its own site and has worked with the Port Authority of Allegheny County, PNC, UPMC and Management Science Associates. The IQ, Inc. philosophy of smart choices and smart people has enabled VanKirk to blend her love of technology and people to offer smart solutions for her clients.

The woman who went to night school for seven years to earn her degree in computer science will be honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Western Pennsylvania Woman-Owned Business of the Year. VanKirk and eight other local small business owners and advocates will be lauded at the Western Pennsylvania SBA May 27th Awards Luncheon which will be held at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 48th annual celebration of National Small Business Week.

“I was the typical geeky kid in school and particularly loved math because it was like solving a puzzle,” VanKirk explained. “I knew my parents couldn’t afford to send me to college so my school counselor sent me to a job fair where I took a math aptitude test and was hired by Westinghouse in three weeks.”

VanKirk, started her career as an engineering technician and soon transposed her problem-solving skills to writing computer programs. She wrote numerous informational tracking systems programs and applied those skills to her courses at Point Park University. Her degree in computer science led to new responsibilities and duties as a computer engineer and project manager, which allowed VanKirk to travel throughout the country.

“I not only converted old software bases to new hardware platforms, but because I interacted with Westinghouse personnel, I was able to fulfill my customer service needs,” she stated. “In 1988, I left Westinghouse to see what the rest of the world had to offer.” VanKirk said for six years she worked for a consulting company marrying her technical abilities with her people skills to find the right resources for each project. However, two children beckoned VanKirk to open the doors to her business within her family home.

“I was able to get them off to school, work all day, pick them up, cook dinner and then work at night,” she said. “During the day I worked with my clients and at night I recruited; eventually I hired my own recruiter.”

For six years she shared office space in two different homes with up to four employees, then rented space for five years, before constructing her own facility for her growing company.

“We offer flexible work schedules for our employees, because I know how important flexibility is for dual-income families,” she explained.

VanKirk recalled a project for Respiraonics in which her team wrote custom software that interacted with their sleep therapy devices. IQ, Inc. also provided a membership management system to a local chamber. Her firm has even supplied engineers to Union Switch and Signal who were working on a control center for the Port Authority’s light-rail system.

“We get quite involved in our projects and place consultants in the field with our clients,” she said. “We develop the software, implement it and even provide training.”

According to Western Pennsylvania SBA District Director Carl Knoblock, VanKirk illustrates that following a passion and vision can correlate into success. “From her early days as a technician she was always solving problems, so it’s no surprise she was able to combine her technological and people skills with a desire to break that glass ceiling,” he said.

VanKirk said she was surprised to learn she was named the Woman-Owned Business of the Year. “I’m very excited and honored,” she said. “I still can’t grasp the significance of the award, but I will.”

Note: If you would like to speak with Barbara VanKirk or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103

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The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.

Officer and Senator John Pippy Saluted by SBA for Service to Veterans

News Release


PITTSBURGH DISTRICT OFFICE

Release Date:
May 18, 2011
Contact: Janet Heyl
(412) 395-6560, ext. 103

Release Number: PGH11-15 Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

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Army officer and state Senator John Pippy to be saluted by Small Business Administration for service to veterans

PITTSBURGH – When John Pippy was in high school he applied to the Air Force Academy, hoping to become an officer in the same branch his father served as an enlisted man during the Vietnam War. But the U.S. Army sacked those plans when they recruited the defensive end to play football for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

“West Point talked so much about leadership, I loved it, I’m from a blue-collar town near Boston and have always had a sense of duty and patriotism, not only was my dad in the Air Force but my grandfather was in the Navy during World War II,” Pippy said. “We joke in our family that because I joined the Army we have a complete circle representing the military services.”

Pippy, 40, has since dedicated his adult life to service. For 19 years, he has defended his country as an officer in the U.S. Army and Pennsylvania National Guard and since 1997 he’s served Pennsylvania residents as a state legislator. This month, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) salutes Pippy as Western Pennsylvania’s Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year.

Pippy and eight other local small business owners and advocates will be lauded at the Western Pennsylvania SBA May 27th Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 48th annual celebration of National Small Business Week.

While majoring in environmental engineering as a cadet, Pippy met his wife who was also an Academy cadet. While home is his house in Moon Township, Pippy has travelled the world as a soldier, from South Korea and Germany to Iraq and Kuwait. His travels have taught him about different cultures and human needs.

"What we in the U.S. take for granted, such as water and electricity, isn’t the norm for a lot of cultures,” he said. “You realize how fortunate you are.” For Pippy, taking care of those who have served has been his stateside mission as a legislator in addition to his duties as a major in the Pennsylvania National Guard.

“About one-half of the individuals who have served in the current war are reservists or members of the National Guard,” Pippy explained. “Their experiences shape the community they live in, so it’s important that we honor all those who have served their country.” In addition to supporting legislation to reduce the capital stock and franchise tax which spurred economic growth and jobs, Pippy also sponsored a Small Business Energy Efficiency grant program.

The program provided a matching grant of up to $7,500 for small businesses to defray the costs purchasing and implementing energy efficient products or systems. Pippy has also provided quality-of-life benefits for Pennsylvania armed service members and retirees, writing legislation to ensure that military personnel receive lower tuition rates when stationed in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh-based Robert Morris University now offers free tuition to veterans.

“It’s a win-win situation at Robert Morris because non-military students and professors can discover so much from our men and women who have served their country and share their life stories,” he said. Pippy himself said he has learned from retired military personnel he often meets at veteran organizations.

“I was at a Vietnam Memorial function and a gentleman came up to me and told me his brother would never be able to see the memorial because he was wheelchair bound and could'nt travel,” Pippy explained. “We couldn’t find a DVD, so we took a film crew to D.C. and a park ranger hosted a tour.” Pippy said DVDs were burnt and the tours, along with a Korean Memorial tour, now are available online.

According to Western Pennsylvania SBA District Director Carl Knoblock, Pippy serves as an example of why veterans are so valuable to their community.

“I commend and thank him for serving his country and for continually improving the lives of military personnel, both active and retired, in Pennsylvania.”

Pippy said it was a privilege and honor to be selected as the SBA’s veteran champion.

“I think it’s great that the SBA recognizes service to veterans,” he said. “I was just doing my job [as a senator and officer] and will stay in the military as long as they have a job for me,” he added. “I can’t imagine not being part of a military family.”

Note: If you would like to speak with Sen. John Pippy or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103

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The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.

Charles Powell Recognized by SBA for Work with Region's Minority Community

News Release


PITTSBURGH DISTRICT OFFICE

Release Date:
May 18, 2011
Contact: Janet Heyl (412) 395-6560, ext. 103

Release Number: PGH11-11 Janet.Heyl@sba.gov

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SBA honors community director for outreach efforts, economic growth and social acceptance

PITTSBURGH – Throughout his four-decade career in community development as director of diversity affairs and community outreach for the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Pittsburgh, Charles Powell never lost sight of his target: to work constructively on behalf of the region’s minority community.

For his efforts, Powell will be honored May 27th as the Western Pennsylvania Minority Small Business Champion of the Year at SBA’s Western Pennsylvania Awards Luncheon. Eight other local small business owners and advocates will be honored at the luncheon, which is held at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh, in conjunction with the 48th annual celebration of National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C.

In the past 20 years, Powell has been instrumental in leveraging more than $500 million contract dollars for women and minority businesses.

“We [the URA] are the economic engine for this city and my role centers on training and community outreach,” Powell said. Powell explained his work is judged by the many communities within the city of Pittsburgh and that most organizations would give him an “A grade.”

“At the recent Target development site in East Liberty, the mayor and URA board established a minority contracting goal of 25 percent,” he explained. “But, through our outreach and compliance, that project saw 42 percent of contracts and subcontracts awarded to women and minority firms.” Growing up in McDonald, Pa., Powell attended Virginia Union University where he majored in psychology and entered the workforce just as America was embracing the Great Society.

“The Great Society was an introduction to a national emphasis to provide support to communities for education to embrace and deal with changes in social thinking,” Powell explained. “The jobs provided decent wages and the government was looking for people with a background in psychology and sociology.” He started his community relations career with the Greater Pittsburgh Dairy Association, where he was responsible for educating the area’s 26 local dairies on integration and the importance of hiring African-Americans as dairy workers and truck drivers.

“I received strong support and a lot of publicity because we [the association] wanted people to know that our goal was to integrate the Western Pennsylvania dairy industry,” Powell stated.

However, one day, he noticed a large group outside of the former Mellon Bank headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh protesting the bank to hire African-Americans.

“I was recommended to Mellon to assist their efforts and stayed there for 20 years where I increased my responsibilities, first in employee relations and finally moved to corporate affairs where I became a vice president,” he added.

When Mellon shifted its focus to investment banking, Powell transferred his skills to the URA and to the community.

He was appointed by former Gov. Rendell to the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Board and also serves on the board for the Salvation Army. While Powell certainly is pleased at his civic contributions over the last 40 years, he is most proud of being a founding member of Pittsburgh’s African-American Chamber of Commerce and being invited to a 2007 National Security Seminar at the U.S. Army’s War College in Carlisle, Pa.

“I wasn’t a veteran and someone nominated me and I was selected and that was special,” he said. “So was the 1992 creation of the African American chamber by a small group of visionaries.”

According to Western Pennsylvania SBA District Director Carl Knoblock, Powell serves as an example of how government leaders can strive for community involvement and betterment. “He has given so much back to neighborhood small businesses through his leadership and commitment. He truly is an asset.”

Powell said he was overjoyed to be recognized by the SBA, which has a mission parallel to that of the URA.

“Being involved with small business is a great mission because we help the economy grow; it’s a great honor to be acknowledged.”

Note: If you would like to speak with Charles Powell or Carl Knoblock, Western Pennsylvania SBA district director, please contact Janet Heyl at 412-395-6560, ext. 103

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The U.S. Small Business Administration – helping small businesses start, grow and succeed.