Pittsburgh Citywide Task Force on Employee Ownership
The Pittsburgh Citywide Task Force on Employee Ownership will bring together stakeholders from local government, state government, economic development groups, nonprofits, businesses, banks, and higher education.
We are creating something that can dramatically change the lives of Pittsburghers for the better. And it will be a model for municipalities throughout the nation.
Goals and Objectives
Assess the economic landscape in the Council Districts of Pittsburgh to determine the opportunities/challenges for the creation of employee owners. Who are the target businesses?
Design a plan for communicating the value and benefit of employee owners to potential individuals and businesses. How do we share information, get into the neighborhoods?
Create a “Toolkit” that allows interested businesses and individuals to both learn and take steps to convert to employee ownership. What are the systems and methods we need to compile to give to potential businesses?
Design a funding model for both ESOPs and Co-Ops that makes employee ownership possible and practical. How do we create a funding model that truly assists?
Look at potential legislative opportunities to both promote and enable the growth of employee ownership. What might the role of government be? What have other municipalities/states accomplished?
Members of the Task Force
- William Bailey, Infinite Prosperity
- Vipul Bokil, University of Pittsburgh
- Charita Bush, KTA-Tator
- Lance Chimka, County of Allegheny
- Anthony Coghill, Pittsburgh City Council
- John Fetterman, State of Pennsylvania
- Dr. David Finegold, Chatham University
- Bill Flanagan, WPXI's "Our Region's Business"
- Stephanie Gagne, City of Pittsburgh
- Ron Gaydos, Pittsburgh Chamber of Cooperatives
- Representative Valerie Gaydos, PA State House
- Topiltzin Gomez, Honeycomb Credit
- Deborah Gross, Pittsburgh City Council
- Dr. Jungook Kim, Chatham University
- Representative Sara Innamorato, PA State House
- Julie Lane, PNC Bank
- Todd Leverette, Democracy at Work Institute
- Tom Link, Urban Redevelopment Authority
- Emalie Martzall, PaCEO
- Kevin McPhillips, PaCEO, Co-Chair
- Bhavini Patel, County of Allegheny
- Jake Pawlak, City of Pittsburgh
- Anita Prizio, Steel Valley Authority/Allegheny Council
- Jennifer Harrison, Office of Rep. Valerie Gaydos
- Dawn Seckler, Bridgeway Capital
- John Seiffer, CEO Bootcamp
- John Stakeley, Chatham University
- Erika Strassburger, Pittsburgh City Council, Co-Chair
- Mike Vidra, Tech Met, Inc.
- Dr. Trevor Young-Hyman, University of Pittsburgh