Pittsburgh Pa. is my home. I grew up there, met my wife there and our children were born in Pittsburgh. So I  admit I am biased towards my home town. My job took us to Detroit, Michigan in 1985 and we moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 2000 for the same reason.

We return often to Pittsburgh for family and friends but I also get back to the "Burgh" for business on a regular basis. The week before Christmas I had lunch with Dewitt Peart , EVP of the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance. Dewitt is charged with marketing the region to businesses around the world for the purpose of attracting new companies to the Pittsburgh region. By all measures Dewitt and the PRA are doing a wonderful job.

Pittsburgh is a great place for many reasons,  but I could not help but compare the City and it's Central Business District to others that I get to visit on a regular basis. Pittsburgh's downtown is dense, active, safe, and populated with all types of business that allow people to work, live, worship, and recreate. I believe that the City defines the nature of the region. That helps explain why companies are attracted to Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Pittsburghers have learned it seems to put their differences and egos aside for the better good. There is a private/public partnership in place with a plan and the plan is being executed.

Westinghouse, Fenner Dunlop, Education Management Corporation, BeamOne are just a few of the major firms either relocating or expanding to the region. As an Economic Development professional I know that firms are attracted to the Pittsburgh market because it is a wonderful place to do business, there is access to a highly skilled and conscientious workforce and Pittsburgh has a well maintained infrastructure. But it all starts with the City..........strong and vibrant City..........strong and vibrant Region!

I remember the days when the prospect of Pittsburgh being listed as one of the best places to live or do business was considered a pipe dream. Well, Pittsburgh proves that dreams can come true if the citizens, institutions, and business community work together to make their community the best it can be.