Pittsburgh CIO of the Year 2013

Pittsburgh CIO of the Year 2013
Nominations Extended Until January 9th!

Co-hosted by the Pittsburgh Technology Council and the Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group, the CIO of the Year program honors individual technology executives from industry, non-profit, academia and government. Nominees, including chief information officers or those in equivalent positions, are recognized for their innovation and creativity in planning and deploying their enterprise systems, future IT goals, management philosophy and service to the industry and community. CIOs will be evaluated in four category groups of similarly sized businesses.

Nominate the CIO of your company or of a deserving client or partner organization now! Nominations due by Wednesday, January 9th.

LEARN MORE / SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION:
http://cio.pghtech.org

SAVE THE DATE: 
CIO of the Year Awards
Thursday, March 7, 2013 | 5 p.m.
Heinz Field

Event Partners: Pittsburgh Technology Council | Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group

Event Sponsors:Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC | Comcast Business Class | Donwil Company | UPMC Technology Development Center

Supporting Sponsors:Allegheny County Airport Authority | DQE Communications | Expedient Communications | ServiceNow |  Synergy Staffing

Sponsorship opportunities for this event are still available! 
For more information, please contact:
Joel Reed, Vice President, Business Development at jreed@pghtech.org

Pittsburgh: Still Growing, Still Succeeding

Despite the recession, Pittsburgh is still a strong economic contender in the US. It is one of the best places to relocate, and is consistently voted as one of the best areas in the country.

The Pittsburgh region begins the New Year in an enviable position, near the top of many national and even international rankings.

Sperling’s BestPlaces ranks Pittsburgh as the best city to relocate to in the United States, ahead of Austin, Texas; Minneapolis; and Denver, among others. The organization, which has been crunching metro data since 1999, says “Pittsburgh is an affordable city that offers the amenities of a megalopolis with added stability.”  

The Brookings Institution also places Pittsburgh among a rarified group, one of just three metros in the nation that have fully recovered from the Great Recession.

Click to Read More

The Handmade Arcade

Are you looking for something to do this Saturday? Why not join in on the Handmade Arcade, a day full of art and entrepreneurial spirit! Let's help our local businesses out by showing them support this Saturday the 8th at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

This year’s Handmade Arcade boasts over 150 artists! Some of our vendors will be traveling to the ‘Burgh from all around the country to provide you with their lovely wares. Please join us in welcoming some of the incredible out of town guests we’ll be hosting at the Arcade this year.

1. Pizza Party by Yardsale Press. 2. Bicycle Notebook by Moonlight Bindery. 3. Pug Night light by YOU KNOW. 4. Deco Purse Drawing by Aw Applesauce. 5. Bird Cage Mixer Coverby jennyjen42. 6. Brooklyn Brownstone Tags by Craftgasm. 7. A Suffocating Pile by Cordial Kitten. 8. Leather Leaf Earrings by TOM CAT Jewelry. 9. Nothing but a wing Screen Print byHero Design Studio.  

Oh and BTW… Handmade Arcade will be Pittsburghers’ only chance to see many of these amazing national artists in the flesh this holiday season- so don’t miss out! 

Handmade Arcade is Pittsburgh’s largest indie craft show held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh this Saturday December 8th, 2012 from 11am-7pm.ADMISSION IS FREE!

Click to Read More

Free Holiday Parking Info

Shop Small on Saturday, November 24th

By Karen Mills, SBA Administrator

In between the Black Friday sales and the Cyber Monday deals is Small Business Saturday (November 24th) – a day set aside to support the small businesses that play a vital role in creating jobs and economic opportunities all across the country. Last year, Small Business Saturday gave a boost to many of these Main Street businesses, with more than 100 million Americans shopping at independently-owned small businesses. And this year we can do even better!

So what can you do to participate?

• If you are a business owner, register your business at www.shopsmall.com so your customers know where to find you and you can receive free Small Business Saturday promotional materials.  You can also make sure you’re prepared for the holiday season by checking out SBA’s advice at www.sba.gov/saturday.
• If you are a customer, learn which businesses in your community are participating in Small Business Saturday at www.shopsmall.com.  The website provides information on businesses currently registered and how you can rally your community to support the initiative.

Small businesses are the back bone of our communities. And when we shop small, we not only get great products and services, but we support our neighbors and strengthen our local economies. Over the last two decades, small and new businesses have been responsible for creating two out of every three net new jobs in the U.S., and today over half of all working Americans own or work for a small business.

By shopping small, we can help America’s small businesses do what they do best: grow their businesses, create good jobs, and ensure that our communities are vibrant.

I encourage you to join small business owners and the more than one hundred million people who were part of Small Business Saturday last year. 

Shop small this holiday season. I know I will.

Assistance For LIHEAP Applications

Northshore Coalition for Fair Housing Providing Assistance for LIHEAP

Greetings:

 The time to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has begun. LIHEAP is a program that helps low-income families pay their heating bills through a grant that offers assistance in the form of cash, sent directly to the utility company or a crisis grant for households in immediate danger of being without heat.

On November 8, 2012, the Northside Coalition for Fair Housing will be hosting an event to assist families in completing the LIHEAP applications. The event will take place at the Letter Carriers Hall, located at 82 California Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 from 10:30AM to 1:30PM.

 Please bring the following items:

• Names, birthdates and social security numbers for all household members.
• Copy of your gas or electric bill.
• Proof of income for all household members:

• Wages—You must provide 30 days of paystubs from the previous month
• Award letter from unemployment, workers comp, social security or SSI.

2012-2013 Income Guidelines
Household Size	Monthly Income	Yearly Income
1	$1,396	$16,755
2	$1,891	$22,695
3	$2,386	$28,635
4	$2,881	$34,575
5	$3,376	$40,515
Each additional person	$495	$5,940

Duquesne University SBDC

November 8, 2012

JAPAN Business Opportunities

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm Price: $45

REGISTER NOW 

Learn what the Japanese market has to offer to U.S. businesses who want to do business there. The topics will be the country of Japan, business opportunities, culture, language and resources.

November 15, 2012

7th Annual PA Business Technology Conference

Time: 8:00 am-4:30 pm Price: $99 using discount code PBTC99

REGISTER NOW 

Using technology in your business isn't a new idea, but how you use technology and what technologies you use to enhance your businesses profitability changes daily. 

 Social media is here to stay -  is it for you?  Search Engine Optimization is everything if you want to be found on the web - How does your company rank among your competitors?   Mobile applications, Google tools and customer relationship management software are allowing businesses to find, keep track of and send personal messages to customers.  Does your business use these tools?

A Check Tech at lunch will include:  what to look for before you buy your next computer, new tools and trends for quick and easy communications, three must-have technologies that every business needs and five security to-dos.  

Learn how today's business technology can enhance your profitability and competitiveness at this full-day event.  Over 150 people expected.  

November 29, 2012

Export Basics

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm Price: $45

REGISTER NOW 

This course is designed to meet the needs of:

• Manufacturers and technology companies seeking to initiate export programs
• Individuals within exporting companies who require orientation to exporting
• Service firms seeking to improve their understanding of globalization 

Course Topics Include:

• Recognizing and identifying export opportunities 
• Shipping and payment
• Legal and regulatory aspects of exporting
• Sources of information and assistance
• Cultural issues 

November 29, 2012

2012 Year-End Tax Saving Strategies for Small Businesses

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 pm Price: $45 REGISTER NOW  Tax season is right around the corner - the better prepared you are, the more money you can save. This workshop will cover 2012 tax law changes for small businesses, tips for lowering your tax bill and opportunities for adding to your bottom line.