Welcome to the May issue of  From the Desk of Chris Heck,  the voice of the Pittsburgh airport area business community. As I put pen to paper on this clear and optimistic May afternoon, the leading question facing all of us is when, and more importantly how, will we as a community and a region reopen and navigate a safe, sustainable and thriving economy. Moving from red to yellow will ease restrictions on commerce but clarity and guidance is essential in our workplaces as we establish sustainable plans to return and remain open.
 
A spirit of optimism exists with headlines bearing positive news in the areas of healthcare, energy, non-profit support and aid, airport and air service increasing and commercial real estate. This critical business activity is on the rise and all right here in our airport area business community. As your Chamber of Commerce, we continue to offer guidance and critical information as we look forward to the return of all of our Chamber programming and events that you are accustomed to.
 
I hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter as we explore the latest activity in our community. Together, we look forward to establishing safe and productive re-entry into our local economy. 
 
Be well and be safe,
 
Chris Heck
President/CEO
Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce
Company Spotlight
Brewer Airport Toyota

My philosophy has always been to make it easy for the customer to do business with us; provide them with a world class sales and service experience and to deliver on all promises. I want the dealership to be a safe and friendly environment, for our clients as well as our team members.
News You Should Know
Scalo's Viewpoint: Do the right thing for your employees
Robert Morris University offers virtual training
Billion-dollar overhaul of Pittsburgh International airport on pause amid pandemic
What’s going on at Rosedale Tech during COVID-19 closure?
Lanxess gets boost from disinfectant products used to fight COVID-19
Williams pledges $1 million for COVID-19 efforts and community recovery
Advocacy Corner
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pennsylvania primary election has been postponed to June 2. Allegheny County is enacting a plan to reduce the number of polling locations, and we encourage everyone to apply for a mail-in ballot. Please visit www.votespa.com to get started.
A message from Pennsylvania State Senator Pam Iovino of the 37th District
Due to a novel coronavirus causing a global health crisis, businesses are seriously struggling right now. The temporary shut-down of our economy to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on businesses large and small – I hear it every day from business owners and employees in my district. To confront the most daunting economic challenge of our time, we need to put in place every available option to provide safety nets and recovery tools to support our businesses and our economy. That is why I have introduced bipartisan legislation to avail Pennsylvania business owners with business interruption insurance coverage in their policies with an avenue to submit claims during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It's All About the People
Flexibility is needed now more than ever to navigate through the changes brought by the pandemic. We, employers, employees, families, community leaders, religious, profit, and nonprofit are all impacted in some way. No one has been left untouched, and we all need understanding.
Development in the Corridor
Ben Atwood, Market Analyst at the CoStar Group
The Parkway West Corridor remains one of Pittsburgh’s strongest regions, with long term potential for growth.
Roger Pearson, Civil & Environmental Consultants
Chris Heck, PAACC
The airport area and surrounding communities are riding a wave of change, connectivity and economic development that has never been seen before, and things are coming together after more than a decade of planning and visionary support from many of our municipal partners and stakeholders who live and work here in our community.
Insights from the Communicators
Marketing budgets never seem to stretch as far as we would like. During a pandemic though, no one wants to spend their marketing dollars at all. However, is that the correct decision?
Stay Connected
Despite operational changes, the PAACC is still committed to providing our members with informative content and helpful resources. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest information.
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