September 2020 Edition
Since the inception of “From the Desk of Chris Heck” our Chamber, along with many of our partners here in the Airport Area, have persevered through so much under extremely challenging conditions. The lack of face to face interaction with our members just feels different. I’ll rephrase, “It feels unnatural and abnormal” as we look at what the future will bring.

That future is right around the corner. We as community and business leaders pivot to survive, to endure, to emerge from the COVID cloud of ashes and we will prevail. This issue of our newsletter is filled with insights, news from our region, thoughts from local leaders and an overall positive attitude that defines us.

I encourage you to take some time and digest the unique content that defines who we are here in the Pittsburgh Airport Area. You are encouraged to submit articles directly to me for future publication and please accept my thanks in advance for your support and for your role in our business community.


Sincerely,

Chris Heck
President/CEO
Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce
News From the Airport Area
Walnut Grill Dishes-Up Elevated Service with Comcast Business
McFarland Johnson, Inc.: Planning for Future Airport and Community Success
Outreach and Innovation Center Launching at RMU
Business never stops at the Pittsburgh International Airport
Partner4Work: Buford and Ellsworth's Viewpoint: Tools to help with pandemic recovery
A Closer Look at Pittsburgh’s Robotics Tenant
Advocacy Corner
A message from Pennsylvania State Representative Anita Kulik of the 45th District
It's All About the People
Jordan Taylor, Express Employment Professionals

As local economies slowly recover from the slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, some business leaders are looking to start bringing jobs back to meet anticipated demands in their markets. With unemployment at near-record highs, hiring managers have a large talent pool to choose from these days. But with so many qualified individuals, how can you make sure you choose the right employee for your company? Poor hiring can cost an employer up to 150% of a workers' salary, so before you decide to hire your next employee, it's important to know what to look for in a perfect hire.
Nonprofit Talent

Leadership transition is a fragile time in the life-cycle of an organization. A worldwide pandemic with economic hardship and uncertainty can make the prospect of an executive departure, planned or unplanned, daunting for Board and Staff leadership. Now, six months into the COVID crisis, with extensive experience managing healthy transitions, we share with you this QUESTION and NPT RESPONSE briefing to help assuage the anxieties unique to this particular point in time.
Edgar Largaespada, Partner4Work

While Covid-19 continues to disrupt careers and business models nationwide, Pittsburgh has taken a leading role in creating tangible resources, education and training for job seekers, small businesses and nonprofits seeking to operate more efficiently and effectively during the economic recovery.
Entrepreneurial Corner
Buddy Hobart, Solutions21 CEO equals CLO

In our first installment for PAACC, we began the discussion of leadership—particularly the importance of leadership given the current challenges. There is a tremendous opportunity for small- to medium-size businesses to attract and retain top talent, especially now. This will require a commitment to become “the Chief Leadership Officer.”
Insights from the Communicators
How we launched an eCommerce site in 20 days
Meesha Gerhart, RedTree

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are needing to shift almost everything to stay relevant. Even if they aren’t shifting, they are accelerating efforts that might have been on the back burner or been put off in the past.
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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