The Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce 2015 YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 2

The Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce:
Advocating for a More Competitive Regional Economy
Welcome to the inaugural edition of our “Year in Review” – a snapshot of the progress made
in 2015 by the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, the advocacy arm of the Allegheny
Conference on Community Development. This past year, we successfully advanced a number
of priorities in support of the Conference’s 2015-17 agenda, which is focused on Connecting
People to Opportunity through three interrelated strategies – Workforce, Infrastructure and
Economy and Community. These efforts at the local, state and federal levels are playing a
critical role in advancing the Conference’s overall mission of improving the economy and
quality of life in the 10-county Pittsburgh region.
At the local level in 2015, we participated in the City of Pittsburgh’s “Welcoming Pittsburgh
Advisory Council” to help create a more welcoming, inclusive and diverse city and region for
immigrants and newcomers alike. We also led a dialogue on the need for more high-skilled
immigrants in our region. Furthermore, we highlighted the importance of the state’s
Neighborhood Assistance Program to support the revitalization of underserved communities.
In Harrisburg, one of the Chamber’s biggest state priorities in recent years crossed the finish
line – the elimination of the uncompetitive Capital Stock and Franchise Tax. And federally,
working alongside our partners from the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition, we helped to
pass the FAST Act – a $305 billion infrastructure funding package that will have a big positive
impact in the region. The FAST Act also reauthorized the critical Export-Import Bank – a huge
victory for exporting firms doing business here.
These accomplishments would not be possible without the hard work and collaborative spirit
of our many regional, state and federal partners. In the following pages, you will learn more
about the progress made on these and other other issues of vital importance to the Pittsburgh
region. We thank you for taking the time to review our 2015 achievements, and look forward
to working with you in 2016 and beyond to continue to improve the region’s economic
competitiveness and quality of life.
Laura E. Ellsworth
Chair, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce
Matt Smith
President, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce