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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Global Pittsburgh and Carnegie Speech Sign Agreement to Market Language Learning Technology to Education Resources Locally and Worldwide

GlobalPittsburgh has signed an agreement with Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Speech to promote and market Carnegie Speech’s proprietary language-learning and accent modification programs to education-related institutions and corporate entities in the Pittsburgh region and around the world.

Under the agreement, GlobalPittsburgh will act as a sales representative for Carnegie Speech online applications among universities and international organizations with which it works through relationships with the U.S. government agencies and organizations.

“GlobalPittsburgh’s long history of promoting Pittsburgh to the world is what attracted us to partner with them,” said Paul Musselman, CEO of Carnegie Speech.  “GlobalPittsburgh’s many programs bring together residents and visitors to learn about each other’s communities and aspirations. Our software can accelerate communication and promote friendship, speed learning and improve commerce between Southwestern Pennsylvania and the world.”

“This is an excellent opportunity for GlobalPittsburgh to continue expanding our role as an international connector in the Pittsburgh region,” said Michael Malloy, Chair of the GlobalPittsburgh board of directors. “By partnering with a local company and engaging them with our global network, we are able to provide tangible economic and educational benefits to our member organizations and to the community as a whole. That is the role we want to play in the Pittsburgh region.”

Carnegie Speech’s NativeAccent® is the world’s only patented and award-winning Software as a Solution (SaaS) that assesses an individual’s spoken English grammar, fluency, word stress and pronunciation, and then delivers a personalized lesson plan that matches your precise learning needs. Carnegie Speech has over 150 education, enterprise and government customers around the world whose users see up to 100 percent improvement in their spoken English grammar, fluency, word stress and pronunciation in as little as 10 hours of use.

GlobalPittsburgh, formerly the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, engages international delegations, groups and individuals by creating itineraries and facilitating introductions through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) 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.

GlobalPittsburgh also helps recruit international students to the region through its Study Pittsburgh initiative, and connects international students and professionals with globally minded people in the region through member activities and events.

For information about Carnegie Speech, contact Carlton Ketchum, Director, Enterprise Sales at 412-281-3004 ext 203 or 412-965-4178, by email at carlton@carnegiespeech.com, or go to www.carnegiespeech.com.

For information about GlobalPittsburgh, contact Thomas Buell, Jr., Director of Marketing, at 412-392-4513 or 412-720-2218, by email at tbuell@globalpittsburgh.org, or go to www.globalpittsburgh.org.

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Great Chance to Win 2 Tickets to Paris on Delta Airlines When You Come to GlobalPittsburgh CultureFest Oct. 24

You've got a great chance of winning two free round-trip tickets to Paris on Delta Airlines when you come to GlobalPittsburgh CultureFest on October 24 at the downtown DoubleTree by Hilton. Every ticket purchased receives one chance to win!

CultureFest celebrates the globally-minded people, entrepreneurs, innovators and citizen diplomats who make Pittsburgh such a great place. It's the highlight of our year, and proceeds will support our ongoing programs.

CLICK HERE for more details and registration information.

Highlights of the evening include:
- Live performances
- Gourmet international food stations
- Interactive program
- VIP reception with special guests
- Networking with over 200 globally-minded people
- Entry to a Grand Prize drawing
- Complimentary drink ticket
- Complimentary seated massages
- Entertaining vendors
- Wine tasting
- Prize drawings

Doubletree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown is located at 1 Bigelow Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
CultureFest: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
VIP reception: 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Tickets for GlobalPittsburgh members - $70 each
Delegation of 8 - $550
Student members - $50
Non-members - $85
Ticket + GlobalPittsburgh membership - $100
 Delegation of 8 - $650
VIP reception + admission - $200 each

BECOME A VENDOR (PDF)
SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION (PDF)

For details, contact Nadya Kessler at 412-392-4513 or nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

Gold Sponsor:

Vendors:

English Language Institute at the University of Pittsburgh

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GlobalPittsburgh Hosting Boo Bowling Party to Celebrate Halloween Oct. 30 at Pittsburgh Athletic Association

It’s that spooky time of year where the ghouls and goblins come out to play. Join GlobalPittsburgh as we celebrate Halloween on October 30 from 6-9 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association.

Come for the jack-o-lanterns, pie, cider, witches, ghosts and everything else that makes the end of October so delightfully frightful and fun. We encourage everyone to come dressed in their favorite Halloween costume. Our Boo Bowling Party is all about fun!

Come and enjoy:
*Two hours of complimentary bowling and shoe rentals
*Delicious holiday cake
*Chips and pretzels
*Cheese and vegetable platters
*Hot apple cider
*Halloween costume contests with prizes for winners
*Halloween games and activities
*Cash bar

The Pittsburgh Athletic Association, located in beautiful Oakland, was established in 1908 and remains a Pittsburgh icon rich in history and renowned for its traditional elegance and premier style. Come and share this Halloween Party with our globally-minded members and friends. You will have an unforgettable fun evening! 

Tickets are on sale now: $5 for members, $10 for non-members. Prices will go up on October 20 and at the door.

To learn more and buy tickets please visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=liinidhab&oeidk=a07e87y5tn325b8a1d9&

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GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays Happy Hour Oct. 3 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, Oct. 3 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 October event: 

- Free admission for GlobalPittsburgh members

- GlobalPittsburgh Networking PASSport (see below)

- Complimentary appetizers

- Entertaining vendors

- Prize drawings

- Drink specials

- 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.

Thanks to Giant Eagle Market District for supporting First Thursdays!

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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