Fostering Connections, Building Relationships
AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PITTSBURGH NORTH REGIONAL CHAMBER
Spring/Summer 2025
PNRC Staff
Director of Events and Programs
Lorry Perkins
Marketing & Programs Coordinator Matt Popchock
Membership Account Executive
Rachel Shepler
2025 PNRC Executive Committee
Chamber President
Denise Martin
Board Chair
Sheila Talarico
Past Chair
Rakesh Unnithan
Chair Elect
Tom Baker
Vice Chair
Beth Machine
Foundation Chair
Jada Lehman
Secretary Jackie Boggs
Treasurer
Steven W. Diffenderfer
2025 PNRC Board of Directors
Tracy Armstrong
Nadia Bloom
Louis Civitarese
Sherrie Dunlap Gallagher
Lisa Hunt
Donna Kline
Ryan Kociela
Annie Mersing
Nate Musselman
Amy Smith
Felipe Valdez
Bradley Wilkins
Cover photo: Chamber President Denise Martin is joined by Bruce Hezlep, Chairman of the Cranberry Township Board of Supervisors; Karen Newpol, Cranberry Township Board of Supervisors; Dr. Kate Latouf, AHN Wexford Hospital; members of the PNRC Board of Directors, and several market vendors at the Grand Opening ceremony for the Cranberry Town Square Market June 6. (Photo Credit: Cranberry Township)
Special thanks to our Chamber Partners
Contact Denise Martin, Chamber President, at 724-934-9700 x16 for more information on becoming a Chamber Partner.
A Letter from the President
Dear Chamber Members,
Summertime is such an exciting time of year! Kids are enjoying their summer break, families head out of town for much-needed vacations, and friends and neighbors host backyard barbecues and pool parties. The whole city takes a big, deep breath and celebrates those rare, but welcomed, sun-shiny days.
The PNRC had something exciting to celebrate this summer too…our Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of the reimagined, redesigned Cranberry Town Square Market, presented by AHN Wexford/Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. It’s true when they say “it takes a village” to accomplish something so expansive and exciting that warmly welcomes the entire community in the Pittsburgh North region to come together on a Friday night in Cranberry Township.
After nearly a year of planning, we are thrilled to welcome more than 60 local vendors and farmers offering fresh meats, dairy, produce, plants, flowers, bakery items, pastries, hand-crafted soaps, candles, salsa, honey, clothing, wines and spirits, jewelry, honey, pet products, artwork, and more! Dinner is served from a variety of weekly food trucks, and add a cocktail from Aviva Brick Oven’s “Aviva on the Rocks” pop-up bar to make your meal complete.
Of course, music makes the ambiance even better, so we’ve scheduled weekly live entertainment to float across the beautifully designed Armstrong Great Lawn. Meander along wide walkways, run barefoot through the lush green grass, sit and chat in our comfy Adirondack chairs, dine al fresco at our shaded patio and picnic tables, or run through our cold-water splash-pad, perfect for kids, pets and adults. Welcome to the wonderful world of a wellplanned, well-organized, fun-filled farmers market on a hot summer night!
The Town Square Market Planning Committee couldn’t be more pleased with the family-friendly atmosphere and variety of things to enjoy. I want to personally thank Cranberry Township, their Board of Supervisors, Kyle Beidler, Amy Smith, Jessie Hoffman, Tina Fedko, Audrey Rattay, Jim Boltz, and Debbie Raible for their dedication, planning, support, ideas, and successful launch of the Cranberry Town Square Market. They are my “village” of helpers who brought a wonderful vision of a reimagined, redesigned open-air market to its beautiful reality.
And special thanks to our market sponsors, vendors, farmers, food trucks, musicians, and visitors who join us every Friday from 3:00-7:00 p.m. YOU are what makes this Market special and possible.
We hope the entire Pittsburgh North region will join us now through August 29th to shop, relax, dine, dance and discover the treasures of the Town Square Market.
Happy summer to all!
Denise Martin President,
PNRC
Does Your Workplace Flourish?
Are your employees happy, healthy and productive?
By Gina Iannozzi, CNC Assistant Coach, Exercise Specialist The Flourish Group
At The Flourish Group, we believe that a successful business is driven by a thriving team that feels valued and supported. One of the ways we help employers create this culture is through Flourish Wellness Day events.
These engaging and interactive events are part education and part appreciation. They create an opportunity for employees to step away from their daily routines and focus on their well-being in a meaningful way.
Having partnered with school districts and businesses of all types, we bring a wealth of experience in creating engaging and impactful wellness programs tailored to diverse needs. Our Wellness Day events are designed to create a fun, vibrant and empowering environment where employees can prioritize their health and well-being.
These events, akin to health fairs, bring together a diverse range of vendors and businesses, offering a variety of resources tailored to individual wellness needs. Whether employees are seeking fitness guidance, nutritional advice, stress management tools, or self-care activities, our events provide access to valuable information and actionable solutions.
Each Wellness Day is a curated experience with a blend of educational and interactive elements. From informative displays to hands-on activities, employees can learn about resources to enhance their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Raffle prizes and breakout sessions add an extra layer of excitement, making the day both fun and impactful.
These events are more than just an opportunity to gather wellness information—they foster community and connection. Employees can engage at their own pace, interact with practitioners, and discover local services they may not have known were available.
Feedback from past participants highlights the positive impact of these events, with many expressing appreciation for the variety of resources and the chance to focus on self-care in a supportive environment.
At The Flourish Group, we handle all aspects of planning and execution, ensuring a seamless experience for your team. Our goal is to leave employees inspired, energized, and equipped with tools to thrive both personally and professionally.
Together, let’s create a workplace culture that prioritizes wellness and empowers everyone to flourish!
Click here to set up a workplace wellness strategy session. ■
Gina is an active member of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber’s HYPE (Helphing Young Professionals Excel) Committee. Click here to learn more about this committee and others offered by the PNRC.
Click here to book a free personal wellness consultation with Gina.
grand opening fri. june 6, 2025
Welcome to Market season! The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber, in cooperation with Cranberry Township, was excited to finally open the rebranded, redesigned, reimagined Town Square Market, formerly known as the Cranberry Township Farmer’s Market, after nearly a year of preparation.
Over 50 vendors, farmers, food trucks and entertainers braved the elements to take part in this special event on the Armstrong Great Lawn at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center.
Look for more photos from Town Square Market Fridays, courtesy of Cranberry Township, throughout this issue!
Understanding the Workforce Shift
By Renay Gontis Communications Coordinator
My Benefit Advisor
With Millennials and Gen Z now comprising most of the workforce, businesses must rethink their approach to employee benefits. These generations prioritize flexibility, mental health, financial wellness, and purpose-driven work environments over traditional perks.
In a competitive job market, offering the right benefits package can significantly impact talent attraction, retention, and engagement.
Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, prioritize work-life balance, career growth, and financial stability. Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, values flexibility, mental health support and diversity in the workplace.
While each generation has distinct preferences, both groups share an expectation that workplaces will offer benefits that support not just their professional development but also their personal well-being.
Work-life balance is particularly important to these employees. Millennials appreciate flexible work schedules and remote work options, while Gen Z pushes for even greater workplace fluidity, preferring hybrid setups or fewer traditional work hours.
Career development is another significant factor. Millennials look for tuition reimbursement and mentorship programs, while Gen Z prefers digital learning opportunities, upskilling and the ability to advance quickly through job-hopping.
Financial wellness plays a crucial role in their decision-making, with Millennials drawn to student loan assistance and 401(k) matching, whereas Gen Z favors instant payroll access and budgeting tools.
Health and well-being are also essential, as both groups demand comprehensive wellness programs, including therapy coverage and stress management apps. To attract and retain these employees, organizations must rethink their benefits models and provide options that are personalized, flexible, and inclusive.
The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings.
For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website or contact Craig Pritts at 800-377-3536. ■
Fridays 3:00-7:00 p.m. at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center!
“DiSC” Drive: How This Personality Test Can Improve Your Workplace Culture
Have you ever thought, ‘I’d really like my job if it weren’t for all the people I have to deal with?’
By Rachel Unterbrink Owner/Manager R U Ready to Achieve, LLC
Backed by over 40 years of research, the DiSC Everything Workplace (personality) assessment consists of approximately 80 questions and takes 15-20 minutes to complete.
The assessment utilizes an adaptive testing process, meaning the specific questions an individual receives can vary slightly based on their answers. After completing the assessment, a detailed report is available to download detailing their unique personality style.
This valuable information helps individuals to better understand themselves, appreciate and value the differences in colleagues with different DiSC styles, and learn how to adapt to the unique needs of the people and situations they encounter.
Companies utilize the DiSC Everything Workplace assessment for employees’ personal development, to build stronger teams and workplace collaboration, improve workplace culture, develop effective conflict management skills, and help hire people that are the right fit. DiSC provides a common language for individuals to better understand themselves and those with whom they interact. There are even specific ways to empower and reward employees based on their DiSC styles.
The four main styles:
D – folks who tend to be confident and focus on bottom-line results i – those who are optimistic and enjoy connecting with others S – individuals who are even-tempered and accommodating C – people who focus on details/processes and take pride in accuracy
Some individuals have a blended style, which falls near the border of two of the four main DiSC styles, and shares traits of both styles, such as DC, iS, and SC. There is no one style that is best and all four styles are needed in every workplace.
In late 2020, the Catalyst learning platform launched. It was designed as a continuous learning experience to facilitate ongoing integration of DiSC into organizational work. Once a learner completes an online DiSC assessment, they have access to this powerful tool for the entire length of their tenure at a company. If an employee transfers to another team/department, their DiSC profile can be transferred as well.
All too often, employees attend a training workshop, but once it is over, they become too busy with daily tasks and forget what they learned or don’t have time to transfer the training back to the job. Catalyst promotes long-lasting behavior change by providing learners with an opportunity to:
• Gain knowledge about the DiSC model, history and theory
• Listen to a detailed podcast about their unique style
• Understand their workplace priorities—the drivers of their behavior
(Continued on page 12)
friday june 13, 2025
One of the newest features of our reimagined Town Square Market is the addition of live music!
This week, while shoppers shopped, and while kids kibitzed with their favorite costumed characters, they were treated to the bellows of Pat Septak, Pittsburgh’s No. 1 Accordionist, and the dulcet tones of the highly talented, and generationally diverse, Cranberry Men’s Chorus.
(Unterbrink, from p.10)
• Explore their motivators and stressors at work
• Learn specific strategies based on their DiSC style to become more effective at work
• Watch multiple videos with additional information about how to engage with all DiSC styles
• Compare themselves to a colleague to learn how to best connect, when to collaborate, how to obtain their buy-in and handle conflicts that may arise between them
• Create a group to enable a team to work better together
• Access add-on DiSC applications, such as Agile EQ (emotional intelligence) and Management
R U Ready to Achieve, LLC helps you build your best workforce through employee assessments/training, leadership development and performance management solutions.
We offer DiSC assessments and facilitate several DiSC workshops: Intro to DiSC, DiSC Management (for leaders/supervisors), DiSC Agile EQ (emotional intelligence) and Taking a Deeper Dive into DiSC.
“R U” interested in taking a DiSC assessment to learn about your style and how to work more effectively with your colleagues?
If so, contact us at rureadytoachieve.com. ■
Dress for Success Glows Up Women with Clothing, Connections, Confidence
Liz Mims, Director of Community Engagement at Dress for Success Pittsburgh, brings a unique skillset to her nonprofit organization: giving others the better life that she never had.
By Matt Popchock | Photo: Al Marschke, BluMars Media
After growing up in discomfort, public speaking was the least of Liz Mims’ worries on the evening of May 8.
That didn’t stop her from becoming emotional while accepting the 2024 Nonprofit Excellence Award on behalf of Dress for Success Pittsburgh at the PNRC Annual Awards Gala, inside the Pittsburgh Marriott North.
“We don’t do it because it’s rewarding. We do it because it’s right,” she said through tears, this summary of a lifetime of do-goodery eliciting the longest ovation of the ceremony.
For Mims, who has spent nine of her 23 years in the nonprofit sector with the local Dress for Success chapter, currently serving as its Director of Community Engagement, it was a full-circle moment.
“I love speaking to people, and in large groups, especially, which is probably odd,” she laughed as she looked back on that moment. “But it’s one of my favorite forms of connecting with people. With my role, which is pretty new, over the last year and a half, it’s been a gift to be the voice of the work that’s being done.”
Last year, Dress for Success Pittsburgh helped almost 4,200 women despite operating with a seven-person staff, carrying out their mission of outfitting needy women in the area with “clothing, connections and confidence,” as Mims puts it.
“Any woman or nonbinary person who needs our support can see us for any leg of that journey towards financial independence. That’s different for every single person,” Mims explains. “She may come to us for the clothing because she got out of an abusive relationship, and she doesn’t have anything.
“Our focus is workforce development, and we consider ourselves a workforce development organization. But there’s a lot of things that women have to go through before they can even think about getting a job, let alone keeping a job and going into it every day. We take all those things into account.”
The biggest challenge Mims faced was growing up in a time before an organization like Dress for Success was available to women in need of their services. She takes her work personally because, from a very young age, she has grappled with the very problems she is paid to alleviate.
“If you’re black in this country, your generational poverty didn’t end when slavery ended. It only started. I was the first in my dad’s family to be born into integrated schooling, for example, back in the ‘70s,” Mims notes. “I don’t think ‘poor’ as much as I think of ‘privilege’—and people hate that word, because they feel it has to do with work ethic. It has nothing to do with work ethic.
(Continued on page 15)
friday june 20, 2025
The excitement of the redesigned Town Square Market has not only captured the imagination of our returning vendors, but many more newcomers who want to join the fun! On this particular Friday, local artist Megan Paullet and her keyboard greeted their customers.
If you’re interested in becoming a 2025 Town Square Market vendor, you, too, can join the fun by emailing admin@pghnorthchamber.com or calling 724-934-9700 and asking for Debbie.
(Popchock, from p.13)
“If you don’t have to think about something day-to-day, and how it affects your well-being, it’s a privilege. So even though I’m a black, queer woman who lives not as comfortably as other people I might be in the room with, I still have able-body privilege. I don’t have to think about, when I go to a place, ‘Is there a ramp there?’
“We all have privilege. It’s less about ‘poor’ or ‘rich,’ and more about having access to things that provide well-being. And, unfortunately, money is the route to a lot of that. And it shouldn’t be a route to have access to human rights, like healthcare and a roof over your head. Those, to me, are things that every human should have.”
At Dress for Success, Mims believes success is twofold. It is measured by word of mouth, and by documenting feedback from the women they serve, as well as feedback from the women who are doing the work.
The organization routinely puts out surveys asking, on a scale of 1-10, how prepared a client feels for her next step after working with Dress for Success. Recent responses indicated a 99.8% rate of confidence increase.
And measuring success by deeds is just as important to Mims as measuring it by words.
“I went to get a suit late last year. Because I’m in a low-income home, I have a child and I have to dress nice for work, I get my clothes from the thrift store. But the thrift store doesn’t specialize in ‘nice’ clothes. I was feeling really discouraged, and actually crying, because I’m supposed to be representing Dress for Success, and I can’t afford to get something brand-new, and I’m not finding anything thrifted,” she recalls.
“It was actually my wife who, jokingly, said, ‘You know, there’s a really great organization called Dress for Success Pittsburgh, and it’s free!’ My coworker did an internal referral for me.”
Clothing, as Mims points out, is the most salvational, and the most essential, need of the women who come to her organization for support.
(Continued on page 16)
(Popchock, from p.15)
Furthermore, Dress for Success does not impose any income guidelines on their would-be clientele.
While many of its volunteers facilitate the distribution of that clothing, others who have human resources experience assist with resume writing. If and when a client opts for this service, they are connected directly to one of those volunteers, online and/or in person, at a time of mutual convenience.
Depending upon the needs of each client, the organization will tap into a vast regional network of like-minded nonprofits to provide additional support.
“A lot of women are coming from incarceration or treatment, places where clothing is never a priority,” says Mims. “Because we have relationships with hundreds of nonprofits over five counties, if you need something else, we can connect you, whether it’s child care, looking for work, or looking for a training program that’s free.”
She takes pride in helping her fellow women take control of how they are judged—literally, in some instances. But for those personal reasons aforementioned, she takes even more pride in helping them raise their self-esteem.
“Your family isn’t always the safest place for you. Your own neighborhood isn’t always the safest place for you. That’s a privilege that a lot of us don’t have. It’s easy to tell people to get out of their comfort zone and be willing to learn, but many of us are not born into comfort anyway,” Mims testifies.
“I discovered early on that I could find the love and support from making others feel good, because I didn’t want others to feel the way I was made to feel growing up. I didn’t always know I could make a job out of it, but I knew I could make people feel good about themselves.”
This is where collaboration, she says, becomes essential. As with any nonprofit, funding is the biggest operational obstacle Dress for Success faces. Some of its hundred-plus regional chapters receive state funding, but none receive it directly.
Pittsburgh chapter CEO Tanya Vokes offsets their costs by seeking and writing grants. In addition, the local chapter offers
(Continued on page 17)
(Popchock, from p.16)
multi-tiered, incentivized membership packages, as well as its Monthly Giving Club for supporters who lack disposable income and/or time to volunteer.
From a clothing standpoint, Mims says their greatest needs at the moment are size 10, 12 and 14 jeans and other casual articles, especially sneakers. Everyday accessories such as umbrellas are also in high demand.
In the meantime, Mims remains grateful that her own professional journey has brought her to Dress for Success.
It’s a journey that began in the Hill District, working with youths, and a journey driven by her desire to leave women better equipped to face the same challenges encountered along that path.
“I’ve always felt drawn to helping people because it was the helpers in my life that made me feel safe when my parents didn’t,” she says. “I know that I’m in the absolute right place.” ■
Five Student-Athletes Named as 2025
PNRC Educational Foundation Scholarship Award Winners
The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber of Commerce (PNRC) congratulates the winners of the 2025 PNRC Educational Foundation Scholarship Awards, which include representatives of four Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) sports programs and one Pittsburgh Interscholastic Fencing Association (PIFA) team champion.
This year’s awardees are Ala Kalani of North Allegheny High School, Amalia MacDonald of Quaker Valley High School, Bayleigh Perez of Shaler Area High School, and Emma Noss and Reese Theobald of Avonworth High School.
“The Educational Foundation Scholarship Awards Ceremony is an event we look forward to every year. We are thrilled to honor five local students who have shown outstanding leadership and dedication through school activities and athletics, as well as remarkable volunteer efforts in their communities,” said Denise Martin, Chamber President.
“We also greatly appreciate the continued support and partnership we have with Baierl Automotive Group, who make these scholarships possible. The team at Baierl Automotive align well with our mission to support continuing education and build a strong workforce in our Pittsburgh North region.”
Baierl Acura hosted the June 23 ceremony, at which each student received their $1,000 college scholarship. The Foundation emphasizes excellence in community service and leadership roles when selecting each year’s honorees.
Application materials were submitted prior to the Easter holiday, and this year’s lucky quintet was chosen from a pool of 26 applicants following a review by Foundation judges in early May.
Kalani, a two-year member of the varsity fencing team at North Allegheny, has enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh on a pre-dental track, majoring in Biological Sciences. In 2025, she helped the Tigers capture their first-ever PIFA girls’ team championship and served as a public advocate for her high school and club teams.
Kalani also has been a three-year member of the North Allegheny chapter of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). She recently completed a dental internship with a cosmetic prosthodontist and was one of the top-performing students at her oral disease summer camp.
Additionally, she has served as a volunteer pharmacist and a math tutor to middle school students in her district.
(Continued on page 20)
(Scholarships, from p.19)
MacDonald, a captain of the Quaker Valley girls’ volleyball team, has enrolled at Middlebury College in Vermont, majoring in Mathematics and Economics. While playing varsity volleyball for all four years of high school, she earned All-WPIAL and AllPIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) honors and was named to her Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Area Team.
MacDonald has spent over 300 hours collaborating with nonprofit organizations in the Greater Pittsburgh area, and in 2022, she founded one of her own, Brazos de Bienvenida. Her nonprofit provides clothing, household items and food to underserved Hispanic and Brazilian residents who relocate to Pittsburgh.
As part of her duties to Brazos de Bienvenida, she volunteers with Casa San José, another Pittsburgh-area Latino support group.
Noss, a runner on the Avonworth girls’ cross country team, has enrolled at Northwestern University, majoring in Biology. She ran on Avonworth’s varsity squad for all four years of high school and was ultimately named a team captain.
Noss, in addition to biology, demonstrated a passion for journalism as editor-in-chief of her school newspaper and literary magazine, and for humanitarian causes through memberships in Avonworth’s Red Cross and IMPACT Clubs. She has volunteered with Northland Public Library and local nonprofit Global Links while working as a youth instructor and event staffer at ASCEND Climbing Gym.
Perez, a two-time captain of the Shaler girls’ basketball team, has enrolled at West Virginia University, majoring in Nursing. While playing varsity basketball for all four years of high school, she was twice named Big 56 First Team All-Section and also garnered Post-Gazette All-Section honors.
Perez, also a volunteer coach in the district, has spent the majority of her community service hours with Cafe 118, a student-run, pop-up coffee shop that operates within the Shaler Area High School library and caters to special needs students. She has helped teach these students basic money management and social skills while raising funds for multiple school programs, maintaining a 4.2 GPA and holding down a part-time job at The Dog Stop.
Theobald, a swimmer for the Avonworth girls’ team, has enrolled at George Washington University, majoring in International Affairs. An honorary Model UN delegate, she will study at the university’s renowned Elliott School of International Affairs following four years as a varsity swimmer for the Antelopes that culminated in her team captaincy. Her mother, Tracy, and her sister, Elle, attended the ceremony on her behalf.
Theobald joined Noss, her fellow Avonworth ’25, in the school’s Red Cross Club, serving this past year as its secretary, and the two also worked together as middle school algebra tutors.
In the meantime, Theobald has volunteered with the American Cancer Society and as a teaching aide for Pittsburgh Public Schools, both while getting involved at Ben Avon Community Presbyterian Church as a camp counselor.
For more information about the PNRC Educational Foundation, contact Foundation Chair Jada Lehman. ■
