GlobalPittsburgh Honoring Somerset County Drilling Company For Efforts to Help Save Trapped Chilean Miners

Center Rock, Inc., the Somerset County, Pa.-based company that provided advanced drilling technology to help rescue the 33 trapped Chilean miners in October, will be honored by GlobalPittsburgh with its International Bridge Award for building bridges of understanding and communication between the Pittsburgh Region and other parts of the world.

Officials from Center Rock, whose technology was a key part in the rescue of the miners who were trapped 2,000 feet underground for two months, will receive the award at the GlobalPittsburgh Annual Dinner on Monday, December 20, 2010 at LeMont Restaurant.

GlobalPittsburgh President Roger Cranville said Center Rock’s actions to help with the Chilean mine rescue, which captured the attention of the world, exemplify the type of grass roots citizen diplomacy that helps strengthen international relations at the personal level.

“This is the type of goodwill effort to bring the people of the world together that no government entity could accomplish,” Cranville said. “We want to honor the people of Center Rock for their amazing success in this heroic rescue, and raise them up as an example of what citizen diplomacy can achieve.”

For more than 50 years, GlobalPittsburgh, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, has forged relationships between the Greater Pittsburgh Region and the global community through citizen diplomacy – connecting people and institutions in the region with audiences around the world through a wide range of hosting, training, networking, educational and outreach programs and services.

Center Rock’s involvement in the Chilean mine rescue began in mid-August, after news that 33 men working underground at the time of a major mine collapse at the San Jose Mine in the Atacama Desert near Copiapo, Chile, were still alive after 17 days. The bad news was that it could take until Christmas to free them.

At Center Rock, a small company in Berlin, Pa., President and CEO Brandon Fisher, and Richard Soppe, Manager of DHD Sales & Product Development, knew that Center Rock’s technology could help aid in the rescue of the 33 miners. They launched a plan that ultimately led to the men’s release two months ahead of schedule.

Working through a network of its distributors and fellow drilling experts with contacts in Chile, Center Rock was able to provide the special equipment that created a shaft wide enough to accommodate the rescue capsule in what came to be known as “Plan B.”

On September 4, Fisher and Soppe arrived at the site of the rescue to join several other members of the drilling team who had traveled from other parts of the world. Rescuers would use increasingly larger versions of Center Rock’s DTH (down-the-hole) drilling technology to create a shaft large enough to permit use of the 22-inch-wide, 13-foot-tall rescue capsule, dubbed the “Phoenix,” which pulled the miners to safety starting on October 12.

In addition to honoring Center Rock with the International Bridge Award, the GlobalPittsburgh Annual Dinner will focus on the theme “Celebrating Chile – Connecting Countries, Cultures and Citizen Diplomats,” and feature fine food, a wine tasting, music and entertainment. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at LeMont Restaurant, 1114 Grandview Avenue on Mt. Washington.

Since 1993, the International Bridge Awards have been a unique recognition of the region’s global connections by GlobalPittsburgh, which engages international delegations, groups and individuals by creating itineraries and facilitating introductions through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other international programming agencies in many fields, including energy and environment, life sciences and medicine, education, business and technology, clean/green design, advanced manufacturing, arts and culture, government and finance, social services and law, and other areas.

Tickets to the GlobalPittsburgh Annual Dinner at LeMont are available by calling 412-392-4513 or sending email to Gail Shrott at gshrott@pciv.org. Tickets are $50 each for GlobalPittsburgh members, $60 for non-members, or $450 for a table of eight. Advance reservations are required and must be paid by December 13, 2010.

For more information about GlobalPittsburgh, go to www.globalpittsburgh.org or contact Thomas Buell, Jr., GlobalPittsburgh VP-Communications, at 412-392-4513 or 412-720-2218, or by email at tcbuell@gmail.com. READ FULL ARTICLE

Delta Air Lines Expanding Service Between Pittsburgh and Paris Starting in Summer 2011

Delta Air Lines announced that it will expand its nonstop service between Pittsburgh International Airport and Paris-Charles de Gaulle, a move that Allegheny County officials called a vote of confidence for the international air travel market in the Pittsburgh region.

Delta said today that it will begin operating the service daily, an increase of two flights each week, beginning June 1, 2011 for the summer travel season. Flights are available at Delta.com and other ticketing outlets.

"Increasing the weekly departures and extending the schedule for this flight affirms what has been a top priority for me: This region needs and can support nonstop air travel to Europe," said Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato. "Today's announcement opens the door to exciting opportunities that could lead to more jobs, commerce and other development."

Beginning June 1, Delta Flight 38 departs daily from Pittsburgh (PIT) at 6:35 pm and arrives at Paris (CDG) at 8:20 am the next day. Delta Flight 39 departs daily from Paris (CDG) at 11:10 am and arrives in Pittsburgh (PIT) at 2:05 pm.

The Pittsburgh to Paris flight via Delta Air Lines was launched on June 3, 2009, with the help of the Regional Air Service Partnership – a partnership of the Allegheny Conference, Allegheny County and the Allegheny County Airport Authority – which made direct, non-stop service to Europe a top priority.

Delta's Pittsburgh-Paris flight increases access to many destinations our travelers need to reach and it saves them time and money in the process," said Glenn R. Mahone, Chairman of the Allegheny County Airport Authority.

Dennis Yablonsky, CEO, Allegheny Conference on Community Development, said Delta’s announcement "reaffirms the global strength of our regional economy."

"Interest in Pittsburgh among global business decision-makers has never been higher," he said. "Non-stop transatlantic service that bypasses crowded East Coast hubs provides a real competitive advantage for hundreds of foreign-owned firms in our region as well as U.S.-based businesses that are expanding internationally."

Expanding the Pittsburgh-Paris service is “part of our ongoing commitment to the city, which includes Delta’s 31 daily nonstop flights to seven cities from Pittsburgh International Airport,” said Wayne Aaron, Delta’s vice president – Marketing Programs and Distribution Strategy.

The flight has performed significantly better in its second year of service beginning in June 2010, said Ken Zapinski, Allegheny Conference senior vice president for transportation and infrastructure. The ultimate fate of the flight will depend in large part on the level of support for the flight in the upcoming winter and spring travel seasons, he said. “We need to keep up the performance to ensure this service continues,” Zapinski said.

The Pittsburgh to Paris-Charles De Gaulle flight offers travelers connections to more than 100 destinations in Europe and beyond. The flight is currently offered four days each week, with Pittsburgh departures on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday; and Paris departures on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.
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Make Reservations Now for GlobalPittsburgh Annual Dinner - Monday, Dec. 20 at LeMont Restaurant - Focusing on Connections With Chile & Latin America

GlobalPittsburgh's 2010 Annual Dinner, which will celebrate Pittsburgh's connections with Chile and Latin America, will be held Monday, Dec. 20 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the LeMont Restaurant on Grandview Avenue in Pittsburgh.

Reservations are now being accepted for this festive event, which will feature fine food, wine tasting, silent auction, music, dance, cash bar and presentations connecting countries, cultures and citizen diplomats.

GlobalPittsburgh will be presenting an International Bridge Award to Center Rock, Inc., the Somerset County-based company that provided drilling equipment that helped with the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners in October. Chilean Ambassador H.E. Arturo Fermandios has been invited to attend the event.

The event schedule will include:
5:30 p.m. – Networking
6:30 p.m. – Dinner
7:30 p.m. – Presentation
8:30 p.m. – Entertainment

LeMont Restaurant is located at 1114 Grandview Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15211-1399

Advanced reservations are required and must be paid by December 13, 2010.
$50 for GlobalPittsburgh Members
$60 Non-Members
$450 Table of 8

Credit Card order via phone call 412-392-4513
Mail check payable to GlobalPittsburgh/PCIV
650 Smithfield Street, Suite 1180
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Suggested attire is business or traditional ethnic.
Sign up now!

Email your reservation request by 12/13 to:
gshrott@pciv.org
For more information, call the GlobalPittsburgh office at 412-392-4513
Note: unpaid reservations will not be guaranteed.
We are looking forward to celebrating with you!

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Green Energy Conference Draws International Leaders to Pittsburgh; Features Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and OPEC Governor

On November 10, 2010, Pittsburgh will welcome an international delegation of dignitaries and business leaders as the Pittsburgh Middle East Institute (PMEI) hosts its third annual conference titled "Clean Power: Pittsburgh and the Middle East."

A non-profit consortium of prominent local businesses and civic institutions, PMEI organizes its annual conference to promote Pittsburgh as a “City of the Future,” specifically through strategic engagement with emerging Middle East countries.

This year’s conference focuses on developing Pittsburgh’s leadership in green energy. To that end, the conference will feature keynote business speaker Mr. Issa Shahin Al-Ghanim of Qatar Petroleum, who also serves as Governor for Qatar at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Mr. Al-Ghanim is the designated envoy of H.E. Al-Attiyah, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Qatar, on the occasion of PMEI’s conference. Additional speakers include two ambassadors from the Sultanate of Oman, a country that has witnessed a remarkable cultural and economic transformation in the last 40 years and has recently entered into a free trade agreement with the U.S.

The conference culminates with remarks from Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State and a global leader on emerging markets.

“As always, this year’s speakers and guests are outstanding and reflect Pittsburgh’s growing reputation as a ‘City of the Future,’” said PMEI Founder and President Simin Yazdgerdi Curtis. “Given Pittsburgh’s emergence as a leader in green energy, we’re particularly delighted for our guests to hear and learn from Mr. Al-Ghanim, who has been instrumental in Qatar’s energy-based economic transformation.”

Conference topics will include panel discussions related to Qatar as the world leader in natural gas development, Pittsburgh’s emergence as a center of green technologies, the role of natural gas as clean power and the promise it holds for Pittsburgh’s future, and the practicalities of successfully doing business in the Middle East, among others.

While PMEI’s 2010 conference features speakers and guests from all over the Middle East, including Oman, Egypt, and Pakistan, each year highlights unique opportunities with one particular country. This year’s conference brings together Pittsburgh’s top energy leaders and dignitaries to build a bridge between Pittsburgh and the country of Qatar, which has distinguished itself as a growing center of foreign investment and a world leader in clean energy.

“Pittsburgh is re-emerging as America’s leading center of energy-related solutions,” said Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and a panel moderator during the business conference. “Like Qatar, we are blessed with vast natural gas resources. Through the upcoming Pittsburgh Middle East Institute conference, we can compare best practices in leveraging these resources to grow the economy and improve the quality of life in both our countries.”

Tofol Al Nasr, a former member of OPEC’s Economic Commission Board who currently writes for Qatar’s largest English-language newspaper, The Peninsula, agrees with Yablonsky on the importance of this year’s conference for both Pittsburgh and Qatar.

“Although geographically distant, Qatar and Pittsburgh are similar in their share of abundant natural gas reserves and unified in their dedication to meeting the world’s clean energy needs,” said Ms. Al Nasr. “Joining forces with Pittsburgh’s leading experts, Qatar’s knowledge, experience, and proficiency in forward-looking green initiatives will flourish.”

PMEI’s third annual conference is sponsored in part by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and a host of U.S. and Pittsburgh-based companies, including Aquatech International, Burt Hill, CONSOL Energy, Eaton, H.J. Heinz Company, K&L Gates, Mine Safety Appliances, Range Resources, UPMC, Westinghouse and others. Past conference speakers have included world-renowned authors and commentators Thomas Friedman and Fareed Zakaria.

Event Schedule

Business Conference: 7:30AM Registration; 8AM-12:00PM Conference at Fairmont Hotel (downtown Pittsburgh at 510 Market Street)

Madeleine Albright Lecture: 8:00PM Carnegie Music Hall (4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh)

For a complete list of speakers and event details or to attend, go to www.pittsburghmideastinstitute.org

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Support GlobalPittsburgh With Your Holiday Purchases - Percentage of What You Spend will be Returned as Donation to GlobalPittsburgh – At No Cost to You!

With the holiday season approaching, we have a tremendous opportunity to raise additional funds for GlobalPittsburgh — but it requires your help. It won’t cost you a penny.

We've partnered with We-Care.com to offer the We-Care Reminder. It allows us to receive a donation whenever you shop online at hundreds of participating merchants — at no extra cost to you.

The Reminder is a browser extension for Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Internet Explorer. It takes less than a minute to install on your computer. It's a breeze to download, and it works great!

There are three things you can do to help:

It’s this easy:

1. Go to http://globalpittsburgh.We-Care.com/Start and download the We-Care Reminder. (Then forget about it. It works automatically.)
2. When you visit a participating merchant, you’ll see a message thanking you for supporting GlobalPittsburgh.
3. Just shop as you normally do, and a donation will be made — without taking a penny from your wallet. 
4. Ask your friends and family to do the same, even if it's only forwarding this email.
5. If you blog, tweet, use Facebook, or are involved in any form of social media, use it to spread the word!

Together, we can turn money already being spent on gifts into support for our work.

It only takes a few clicks, so please do it before you close this blog post. To get started, just visit http://globalpittsburgh.We-Care.com/Start.

P.S. If you’re reading this at work, please forward it to your personal email account to make sure you install the Reminder at home.

For access to more merchants; exclusive, money-saving offers; and the ability to track your donations, you can visit our Online Mall at http://globalpittsburgh.we-care.com.

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Study in Pittsburgh! More than 25 Highly-Ranked Colleges and Universities in Region Offer Powerful Educational Opportunities

The Greater Pittsburgh Region features more than 25 institutions of higher learning – many among the top-ranked in the country – providing one of the most powerful educational opportunities in the world today.

Leading Colleges & Universities in Key Fields – Computer Science / Medical Technology / Life Sciences / Business / Advanced Manufacturing / Engineering / Energy / Robotics

Cooperative Agreements among many institutions in the region permit study at more than one institution to ensure a first-rate academic experience.

Numerous English as a Second Language Programs permit students to improve their speaking and writing skills while studying or before enrolling.

Special GlobalPittsburgh CONNECT Service providing year-round activities and programs to help international students feel more comfortable in their new community.

Desirable Location Connecting Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio
High Quality of Life - Pittsburgh Voted Most Livable City in the U.S.
Low Cost of Living – Among Most Affordable in U.S.
Central Location – Within a day’s drive of New York, Boston, Washington, DC, Chicago and Toronto
Safe – Low crime rate
Accessible – Direct flights to Europe avoid busier airports
Global – 50 international communities and 300 foreign-owned companies
Job Opportunities Upon Graduation – Westinghouse, Consol Energy, PNC Corp., Google, Microsoft, Intel and more!
Strong Entrepreneurial Spirit – Numerous Programs Supporting Startup Companies

World Leaders in Education – Major Research Institutions in the Region
Carnegie Mellon University / University of Pittsburgh / Pennsylvania State University / West Virginia University
Other leaders in the region’s academic community (click to go to school website):
Carlow University / Chatham University / Community College of Allegheny County / Duquesne University / English Language Institute at the University of Pittsburgh / Indiana University of Pennsylvania / Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh / LaRoche College / Point Park University / Pennsylvania State University - Beaver / Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny / Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington / Robert Morris University / Washington & Jefferson College / West Liberty University

GlobalPittsburgh Education Partnership
Central point of contact for information about educational assets in the Greater Pittsburgh Region.
650 Smithfield Street, Suite 1180
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
412-392-4513
www.globalpittsburgh.org
info@pciv.org
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Pub Trivia Nights at Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle to Raise Money for Youth Gaelic Football Starting October 21

Pub Trivia Nights to raise money for local youth Gaelic Football programs return to Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle on Thursday Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and will continue on the third Thursday of the month into the spring.

Openings are still available for teams of up to eight people. Each player is asked to contribute $5 per game. Games consist of seven categories with 10 questions each. Monthly prizes will be awarded, and a Grand Prize will be presented to the team with the highest cumulative score at the end of the season. For more information, contact Johnny Connolly at jconnolly71@comcast.net.

Gaelic Football can be described as a mixture of soccer and rugby, although it predates both of those games. It’s a little like Australian Rules (which evolved from it). Gaelic Football is played on a pitch about the same size as a rugby field with similar goalposts. The ball used in Gaelic Football is round, slightly smaller than a soccer ball. It can be carried in the hand for a distance of four steps and can be kicked or hand-passed, a striking motion with the hand or fist. For more information about the Pittsburgh Gaelic Athletic Association, go to www.pittsburghgaa.com.

Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle is located at 24th & Penn Avenue in the Strip District. For more information go to www.harpandfiddle.com. READ FULL ARTICLE