“I was deeply saddened to learn of Jerry Cohon’s passing over the weekend. Jerry served as the President of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for 16 years and our region was transformed during this time—in large part because of his leadership and forward thinking.

“His influence on our region’s economy cannot be understated. Jerry was consistently focused on innovation, attracting talented students from across the world, and he proactively looked for ways to partner with the private and public sectors.

“It is with great sadness that I learned about the passing of Jim Roddey this evening. Jim helped to usher in the County’s new government in 2000 and served our community in so many ways. From his philanthropic efforts to improving our economic climate, the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and all of Southwestern Pennsylvania was made a better place to work and live because of his public service.

Pittsburgh, PA—The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is awarding Kittanning Borough $500,000 in grant funding to support pedestrian and accessibility improvements for its streetscape project.

“Kittanning’s streetscape project is an ongoing initiative that has been a borough-driven initiative that the county fully supports,” said John Strate, Chair of the Armstrong County Commissioners. “The borough played significant role in our region’s history, and making these kinds of efforts to beautify and revitalize the downtown area for our residents and small business owners is another step in helping to grow the local economy.”

Pittsburgh, PA—Today, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) Board elected Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian to serve as Chair, Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites to serve as Vice-Chair, and Greene County Commissioner Betsy McClure to serve as Secretary-Treasurer. Commissioners Fabian, Vicites, and McClure were elected by their fellow board members to these positions, and will serve a two-year term.

Pittsburgh, PA—The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s (SPC) Board of Directors has named Rich Fitzgerald as the organization’s new Executive Director. Fitzgerald will officially assume this role on Jan. 2, 2024 once his tenure as Allegheny County Executive concludes. As the federally certified metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and local development district (LDD) serving 10 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, SPC plans for the continued growth of the region.

From May 15-21, Individuals that Track their Commute Can Enter to Win Big Prizes.

Today, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), the region’s metropolitan planning organization, kicked off a one-week long Commuter Challenge—an effort to encourage local residents to take sustainable modes of transportation like carpooling, vanpooling, and biking.

The Commuter Challenge is an initiative of Commute Info, a ride sharing program that offers multiple solutions for individuals or businesses looking to travel in a more green, sustainable way.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) hosted the first of its kind, Regional Broadband & Connectivity Summit, bringing together regional stakeholders, industry and non-profit experts, and local, state and federal governments and agencies to address equitable and affordable access to high-speed broadband internet in southwestern Pennsylvania.

“The goal of this summit was to identify the region’s state of broadband access and affordability, discuss challenges and opportunities at the regional, state and federal level, and understand how local government, providers, and community institutions will need to work together to achieve digital equity and maximize broadband investments here in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche, who also chairs SPC.