Pittsburgh Business Leaders Traveling to D.C. to Call for Passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Business leaders from Pittsburgh are joining a Pennsylvania delegation traveling to Washington, DC., to push for passage of meaningful immigration reform this year.

The leaders are meeting with members of the state's congressional delegation urging them to support bipartisan immigration legislation that will create jobs and strengthen America’s communities and economy.

Dewitt Peart, president, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, said immigration reform is essential to the Pittsburgh region's continued economic growth.

“In the Pittsburgh region, our economy has recovered," Peart said in a statement. "Now, we have vacant positions that are going unfilled and more positions opening due to approaching retirements. We need more people and we need to put them to work. We are committed to preparing residents for the jobs that will be in high demand and we’re partnering with labor to support sensible immigration reform that’s needed for Pittsburgh and other regions to increase and maintain our economic vitality."

“Our universities are attracting and educating some of the world’s top talent in tech and other advanced STEM degrees," said Audrey Russo, CEO and President of the Pittsburgh Technology Council.  “Many of these students want to stay in the U.S. after graduation, yet we send them away to other countries to compete against us. If we don’t reform our immigration system to attract and retain top talent our country is going to lose its global competitiveness.”

Pennsylvania participants in the Washington trip include:

- Kevin Coutts, President, Forest Homes of Lake Wallenpaupack, Inc. and Vice President, Pennsylvania Builders Association
- Audrey Russo, President & CEO, Pittsburgh Technology Council
- Brandon Mendoza, Government Affairs Associate, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce
- Alex Halper, Director of Government Affairs, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
- Fr. Bernard Survil, Diocese of Greensburg and Founding & Board Member of the Association of US Catholic Priests
- Peter Gonzales, President and CEO, The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians
- Anatoli Murha, Business Development and Marketing Manager, Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit Union
- Fr. Tom Higgins, Archdiocse of Philadelphia, Holy Innocents Parish

Attendees will advocate for an immigration reform solution that incorporates the following principles:

- Make low-skill temporary visas easier to obtain, so that the agricultural industry may have access to critical seasonal workers when needed.
- Border security must be included as a centerpiece of the legislation.
- Increased access to high-skill visas that will meet the demands of our growing economy.
- A solution for addressing currently undocumented immigrants, including children who were brought here young and grew up in America.
- An employer “e-verify” verification process that will ensure all employers follow the law without having to deal with unnecessary burdens.
- The group is headed to D.C. as part of the “Americans for Reform: Immigration Reform for our Economy, Faith, and Security” event. The event is a joint effort organized by the Partnership for a New American Economy, Bibles Badges and Business, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and FWD.us.

Source: Pittsburgh Technology Council

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GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays Happy Hour Nov. 7 at Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille in the Strip District

Come meet globally-minded people from Pittsburgh and all over the world to make new friends and learn more about different cultures at our GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays monthly happy hour on Thursday, Nov. 7 from 5:30-8:00 pm at Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille in the Strip District. Bring your friends, family and colleagues or come alone - we're a very friendly group!

GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays is a regular monthly night of networking and socializing with different themes and different activities - but always with an international flavor - on the first Thursday of every month. It's an evening of friends, interesting conversation and good spirits with an international flair. Everyone is welcome!

Special features for the November event:
- Free admission for GlobalPittsburgh members
- GlobalPittsburgh Networking PASSport (see below)
- Complimentary appetizers
- Prize drawings
- Free seated massages from Massage Envy in Squirrel Hill

Get your GlobalPittsburgh Networking PASSport (attendance stamp card for members). Collect stamps and turn them in for free drinks and prizes.

Discounted membership registration when you sign up at the event. Get $10 off your individual or family annual membership. Signing a friend to be a member entitles you both to free drinks. If you are already a member and you bring a friend who becomes a member at the event, you will both receive free drinks! Online registration for your convenience. By registering online (link below) you will receive a free ticket to one of the drawings at the door.

REGISTER NOW!

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to call 412-392-4513 or email nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

GlobalPittsburgh is looking to partner with small businesses and organizations for this event. We are offering the opportunity for you to promote your small businesses or organization at our event at a table, advertise your name on our social media, and announce our partnership during the evening. If you are interested in setting up a vendor table or simply would like to donate an item/gift certificate for the prize drawing, please contact Nadya Kessler.

Luke Wholey's is located at 2106 Penn Avenue in the Strip District.

Admission is FREE for paid GlobalPittsburgh members. Admission is $5 at the door for everyone else. Membership information will be available at the event, but you may also join GlobalPittsburgh now at www.globalpittsburgh.org/membership and get in free on the night of the event.

If you have questions or would like to set up a vendor table, please contact Nadya Kessler in the GlobalPittsburgh office at 412-392-4513 or by email at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org. Photos from past First Thursdays and a few other GlobalPittsburgh events, activities, and programs can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/globalpittsburgh. See you there!

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Get Something in Return When You Support GlobalPittsburgh on Pittsburgh Day of Giving Oct. 3

Please support GlobalPittsburgh on the Pittsburgh Foundation’s 5th Annual Day of Giving on Thursday October 3.  If you’re planning on renewing your GlobalPittsburgh membership or purchasing tickets to GlobalPittsburgh CultureFest on Oct. 24, this is a great time to do it. The Pittsburgh Foundation provides partial matching funds to enhance your investment in GlobalPittsburgh’s programs, so your dollars go even further. It’s very simple (instructions below). And did you know our programs bring a quarter million dollars into the local economy every year?

Get your free GlobalPittsburgh
t-shirt when you invest $100
or more on Day of Giving!

Here are possible donation levels and what you will receive:
$50 for GlobalPittsburgh annual membership for individual, family or graduate student.
$70 for CultureFest ticket Oct. 24 (you will automatically be entered to win 2 tickets to Paris on Delta).
$100 or more – Membership, CultureFest ticket and GlobalPittsburgh t-shirt!

IMPORTANT – In order to receive credit for your membership or CultureFest tickets, you will need to forward your email receipt to us and tell us that you want credit. Send it to Nadya Kessler at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

Instructions:
- On Oct. 3, go to http://www.pittsburghgives.org
- Click on Donate Now
- Enter your name, email and phone number in appropriate boxes.  Please note you must have a valid email address to receive a tax receipt for your donation.
- Select GlobalPittsburgh (Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors) from the drop down menu.
- Enter the amount you wish to give.
- Once you are ready to complete your transaction, click on Go To Checkout and you will be taken to the secure credit card payment page.

MasterCard and Visa are accepted for payment and you will receive confirmation of your donation and a tax receipt via email within an hour of the transaction. Remember to email us a copy of your receipt in order to get credit for your GlobalPittsburgh membership and/or CultureFest tickets. Thank you!

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