< PreviousMichelle Kreutzer Executive Director, Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce Deb Gray worked for Sears for 33 years before retiring from the company in 2005. At the time, she was overseeing construction and remodeling work at various stores around the country. In 2007, she went to work for herself when she purchased an Express Employment staffing franchise. She now operates two area offices - one in Robinson Township and a second in Monaca - and has 11 employees. Over the years, she’s grown from assisting about 12 businesses per year to approximately 60. About 160 associates in the airport corridor receive paychecks each week thanks to positions they were placed in by Gray’s offices. Many of those associates will transition to full-time positions in a range of sectors and settings, from blue collar to white collar jobs. This past year has been a real rollercoaster for the job market, which started strong and then plummeted mid-2020 due to COVID-19. Gray says her office has since returned to pre- pandemic levels, but that it has come with its own set of challenges. She says many workers are under-employed and that many others have needed to reinvent themselves. She characterizes this time as one in which people are increasingly having to “learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” At the same time, she sees it as vital that companies work with employees to manage the difficulties they’re facing. Among the biggest challenges she sees facing families in general, and not just women, is the lack of government- subsidized childcare in the U.S. “I think that we’ve accepted that change is needed to support families, but we haven’t fully put the solutions into place to support all levels of the workforce,” she says. A big part of Gray’s approach involves outreach. She requires each of her staff members to participate in local organizations and Gray herself currently serves on a number of area boards. She is the treasurer of the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce and hosts regular educational sessions for members. She also sits on boards for Penn State Business, Management and Deb Gray Owner, Express Employment Professionals Pittsburgh West PHOTO BY CLARE ASCANI PHOTOGRAPHY Michelle Kreutzer came to the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce after working for a publishing company that served both that chamber and others with print products. Several sales positions preceded that job, as well as a resume writing business venture that Kreutzer launched right after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. In 2000, Kreutzer took a job as the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce’s membership director and, in 2017, she was promoted to her current role as the chamber’s executive director. During her tenure, the chamber’s membership has swelled to 900 strong. Kreutzer has received a number of awards for her work with the chamber, including several sales awards. In 2017, the American Association of Chamber Executives awarded her its Lifetime Achievement Award. Her greatest achievement, though, may very well have been keeping the organization together following the sudden death in 2012 of Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce president Sally Haas. “Having to notify the staff and board of her passing was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do,” says Kreutzer. “While dealing with the terrible loss of a mentor and good friend, I still had to make sure the chamber continued to serve the needs of our members. In addition, it was important that I instilled the confidence in our staff that things would be okay.” In recent months, Kreutzer and current chamber president Chris Heck have been navigating the chamber through an entirely different crisis. As the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy, chambers of commerce have been hard hit on two fronts. Not only do they generate much of their revenue from in-person networking events, but large portions of their memberships also tend to be comprised of small businesses ravaged by the pandemic. Despite the challenge, Kreutzer says the Pittsburgh Airport Area of Chamber of Commerce’s membership has remained strong and that it’s been able to continue to offer relevant services to members. “I think this comes back to leadership and gaining the confidence of your members and staff,” she says. “It is important for them to know that we will get through this.” Once the pandemic is over, Kreutzer believes that chambers will be even more important to companies as they seek to find new ways to communicate and connect. Kreutzer also thinks the economy will likely see a rise in new small businesses as a result of COVID-19. “As a result of the pandemic, I also think we are going to see more businesses downsizing or simply going out of business, which I believe will result in many people deciding to start their own businesses,” she says. “That being said, the chamber needs to be aware of this changing business climate and be sure we are providing the necessary education, resources and support for these budding entrepreneurs to ensure their success.” Asked how she sees the roles of women changing in business and leadership, she cites several individuals profiled alongside her on this list. She also points out that the area now has two female legislators - state Rep. Anita Kulik and state Rep. Valerie Gaydos - and that the country will soon have its first female vice president. “I think these are exciting times for women,” she says. Kretuzer says that, during her tenure with the chamber, she’s also seen many more female entrepreneurs starting businesses. “Personally, I feel it is important that myself and the chamber mentor these aspiring young women and help elevate them into key leadership roles within the community and the chamber,” she says. “These young people are the future of our communities.” 40 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 40 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021Jodi Murn Owner, Renaissance Home Care Twenty years ago, Jodi Murn’s mother suffered an illness that landed her in the hospital for an extended stay. Were it not for a nurse who urged the family to move Murn’s mother to a larger facility with more resources, Murn believes her mother would not be alive today “I’ve never forgotten that nurse,” says Murn. “She perfectly fulfilled a nurse’s primary role of advocating for patients.” It was a revelation that came to Murn later on as she was attending nursing school herself. That experience and that nurse, in fact, were what led her to want to pursue a career in the profession. Today, Murn operates Renaissance Home Care in Imperial. Prior to operating the business, she worked as an RN in intensive care, pulmonary, and telemetry units. She later became a home care nurse because the more flexible schedule allowed her to accommodate her kids’ activities. Through the experience, Murn realized that she was able to give her patients undivided attention in a home setting. There were no interruptions that came with floor nursing and patients were more relaxed and willing to give details about their health history and medications. Murn worked for Renaissance Home Care before purchasing it in 2016, first by caring for patients and then later becoming the company’s director. An Oakdale native and now a resident of McDonald in West Allegheny School District, she relocated the company from Mt. Lebanon to Imperial to contribute to the local economy. Renaissance Home Care employs over 30 full-time, part-time and casual workers in skilled nursing and physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The company also employs home health aides and administrative positions. As the airport area lacked the number of home care agencies present in the South Hills, Renaissance quickly expanded in its new home, tripling its growth in less than five years. Murn has hired many local residents and found a niche by staffing harder-to-serve rural areas of both western Allegheny and eastern Washington counties. She stressed that there is a greater need for home health care each year as the nation’s population ages. The 2020 pandemic magnified the importance of caring for the frail and elderly in the safety of their homes. She says it’s a task welcomed by the Renaissance staff. “Safety is always our top priority and we make every effort to prevent hospitalizations and rehospitalizations,” said Murn, adding that “the trust that our patients have in our ability to keep them safe and provide them services is one of my proudest accomplishments.” Murn attributes the low turnover rate at Renaissance - a huge accomplishment in the industry - partly to her effort to foster an environment where employees feel empowered to provide suggestions that will improve the company. She mentions receiving the Cameo of Caring award for her department when she was a floor nurse, stating that the qualities that earned her that recognition helped shape her philosophy as a future employer and business owner. While more males are entering the nursing field each decade, Murn says the profession is largely populated by females, many of whom hold influential and managerial roles. Women have historically been seen as caregivers and nursing both expands and challenges that role, she says. “I am proud to work in an industry that values the contributions women make at all levels of the healthcare process,” remarked Murn, adding “year after year nurses are voted the most trusted professionals in this country.” Technology; Pittsburgh Technical College; the Beaver County Career and Technology Center Business Program; and Germaine Harbor. In 2016, she was awarded the Helping Hands Award from the Express Corporate office and the year after she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, the chamber also awarded her its Sally Award. As well, Gray says her office has become known in the larger Express company for their willingness to try new things and innovate as they work to place the right people in the right jobs. “I believe we will continue - at a higher more customized level to help job seekers and businesses find the right matches,” she says. “I believe we can provide resources to help identify skills and competencies on both sides that will result in a happier and more productive workplace for all.” When asked about the challenges women face in the workplace today, Gray says she and her staff have seen comparatively many more opportunities for equality. She says she’s found that even blue-collar industrial shops have been open and accepting of female candidates. Gray says that attitude was much what she always experienced throughout her career. “As an individual, this was never really difficult for me, even working within the construction industry,” she says. “I always probed and asked questions to learn and meet people where they are.” January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 41 January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 41 Taking over ownership of a business can be a rather daunting experience, but try taking one over in the middle of a global disaster when your industry is among the hardest hit. That was the challenge Nicole Lerda faced earlier this year as she was finalizing the purchase of MaxxCole Salon & Spa - formerly Max Manni - on Steubenville Pike in Robinson Township. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the country, Lerda was in the middle of renovating the former salon, developing a marketing plan and doing all the other things that were needed in order to reopen the business. Despite these provocations, Lerda leaned on her advisors and two decades worth of experience in the financial industry to see her through the crisis. Through it all, she not only kept the business afloat, but also saved the jobs of all 10 of its employees. “I am proud to say that all 10 employees have remained working with the company, and together, we are moving forward as an unbreakable team ready to tackle anything that the COVID crisis brings our way,” she says. In addition to overseeing MaxxCole - AVEDA Exclusive - Salon & Spa, Lerda is also the director of Major Gifts for Carlow University. Specifically, she oversees fundraising and charitable gift planning for high net worth donors making gifts of $25,000 or more. Her territory covers much of the East Coast. Lerda is no stranger to adversity. Twenty-four years ago she got her start in the financial industry as one of the just 12% of women working in the field. She held degrees in English, writing, French and secondary education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She could have gone into education, but opted instead for an entry-level position as a marketing coordinator for a financial firm. Her job entailed writing copy for financial brochures and recruiting ads. Over the next two decades, Lerda became a licensed financial planner and held several leadership positions in the industry, including as the managing sales director of a Fortune 50 company. At one point, she was responsible for overseeing 80 financial advisors throughout western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Her rise, though, wasn’t all roses. “I could go on for hours about how I was treated differently and, quite frankly, downright criminally on many, many occasions,” she says. “I have been second guessed, passed over for promotion, sexually harassed and paid less than my male counterparts. A woman always had to work longer, harder, and tolerate comments and questions that male employees would not.” The way Lerda sees it, though, things are improving for women in leadership roles, and that excites her. “There are more women small business owners than ever before - more women in politics - more female CEOs and so on,” she says. “Boardrooms MUST reflect our neighborhoods. Diversity is key in building progressive, efficacious organizations. It is my hope that women continue to place themselves where decisions are being made and carry the confidence with them that their knowledge and experience matters.” Nicole Lerda Owner, MaxxCole Salon For 65 years, there’s been a Wendel optometry practice on the 800 block of Broadway Avenue in McKees Rocks. From 1955 to 1986, that practice was run by Dr. Russell Wendel. Today, his daughter, Dr. Claudia Wendel, runs the same practice across the street from where her father’s office once was. Claudia purchased the property when it was an empty lot and hired an architect teaching at Carnegie Mellon University to design the building. The structure is a work of art, with various windows and components representing the anatomy of the eye. The street level of the building - with its wavy, glass block street-level windows - stands out from the other traditional brick buildings along the main thoroughfare. Today, Claudia runs the business with her four employees. “We do anything from kids and contact lenses to glaucoma and diabetics,” says Claudia. “We do visual field testing and have an Optomap for taking photos of the retina.” A Kennedy Township native, Claudia graduated from Montour High School and studied music at Edinboro University before deciding to follow in her father’s footsteps. She applied to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia in the early 1980s and recalls now how there were just five women in the class ahead of her. She says there were about 30 women out of 150 students in her own class. As she was attending optometry school, Claudia’s father was battling cancer. Seven weeks after she graduated, her father passed away. “He kept saying he was going to make it to graduation,” she says. Though she wasn’t able to mentor under her father for long, Claudia says she did learn a number of important lessons from him, including the value of being involved with professional organizations. She went on to become a longtime Pittsburgh Rotarian and a member of the American Optometry Association. She’s also past president of the Western Pennsylvania Optometric Society and was the first female chairman of the Vision Benefits of America. She is presently on the board for Citizen Care and has been performing their eye exams since the 1980s. “Many moons ago, I also won the SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award,” she says. She’s also a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa international honor society. Wendel recalls how, when she first went to join the Rotary in 1986, she was turned down because she was a woman. It’s something that’s unthinkable today. Now, it’s not so much sexual bias that Claudia Dr. Claudia Wendel Owner, Eye Gotcha 42 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 42 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021battles on a daily basis, but corporate America, as big box stores and chains try to compete with small local practices like hers. The way she sees it, the advantage small businesses have is that they provide a personal touch that corporate America struggles to emulate. She also thinks that, for all the pain COVID-19 has inflicted on small businesses, it has also raised awareness among people about the importance of the local businesses that they have long relied upon. “Because of COVID, people are remembering to appreciate small businesses,” she says. “I think small business people have a major advantage over corporate America in that we actually care and that isn’t just a tagline.” Quality . Assured. 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January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 43 January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 43Robinson Library • 1000 Church Hill Rd • Pittsburgh PA 15205 • 412.787.3906 @RobinsonLibrary@robinsonlibrary Library Library First Chapter Fridays Fridays 4 PM YouTube (links on Facebook and website) Sit n Knit Thursdays @ 2 PM ZOOM Level Up! Facebook/Instagram Live Jan. 7 & 14 6 PM Feb. 4 & 11 6 PM Trivia Nights! Facebook Live Jan. 13 & Feb. 10 8 PM Open Mic Nights ZOOM Jan. 12 & 26 @ 7:30 PM Feb. 9 & 23 @ 7:30 PM BYOG (Bring Your Own Guitar) ZOOM Jan. 5 & 19 @ 7:30PM Feb. 2 & 16 @ 7:30 PM Thrilla Killas Book Club ZOOM Jan. 21 @ 6:30 PM Kindred by Octavia Butler Feb. 18 @ 6:30 PM Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep Read Between the Wines Jan. 7 5:30 PM Lies in White Dresses by Sofia Grant Feb. 4 5:30 PM Girl in the Rearview Mirror by Kelsey Rae Dimberg Located at Deer Creek Winery-Across from the Mall at Robinson Food Court In-Person Program Teen Game Night Tuesdays 7 PM Starting Jan. 12 (details on Facebook and website) Virtual Programs Message us for Zoom invitations Curbside Hours 11 AM to 6:30 PM Tues & Thurs Mon/Wed/Fri 11 AM to 3 PM Sat 11 AM to 2:30 PM www.robinsonlibrary.org At the At the 44 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 20211XFirebeatFirebeat BY JOE KULIK I remember when I first joined the fire department. I felt a true sense of camaraderie. I felt that I was making a difference by helping my community. I remember looking at the gear I was being given and the gear the veteran members had hanging on the racks. Their gear was dark and dirty. It showed the experience that those men had. The state of their gear was their “badge of courage,” a sign of all the fires and other incidents they’d encountered. Fortunately, over the years, we have learned better. Most fire companies now have washers, and even drying equipment, so as to take care of the turnout gear that we wear. We now know that the “soot” on our boots, helmets, coats and pants is actually loaded with chemicals. Studies have shown that exposure to these chemicals can lead to various medical maladies, including cancer. A recent study investigated how firefighters’ contaminated personal protective equipment, or “PPE,” can lead to potential health issues. The study looked at how chemical contaminants on our gear can transfer to other body parts, including the eyes. The intent was to address the effectiveness of decontamination procedures. As you can imagine, it was determined that there is a substantial amount of contamination on our PPE, often impacted by what sort of incidents we’d encountered. When firefighters battle a fire, we often must enter the structure. When doing so, we’re exposed to smoke and the contaminants contained in that smoke. However, other activities, such as cleaning up after a fire, can result in even greater exposure. A firefighter may be pulling down parts of the ceiling or the walls, or may be cleaning up material from the floor. The study concluded that PPE was the most prone to contamination from hydrocarbons and similar contaminants. However, there was almost a similar level of contamination for neck skin and hand skin, which were the areas most prone to contamination during firefighting. As I alluded to earlier, the amount of contamination varied by work assignments. Those involved in “inside attack” (directly fighting the fire in the structure) and inside search efforts experienced the most PPE and skin contamination. In those situations, it was found that hand skin was more contaminated than neck skin. This was most likely a direct result of time spent kneeling or even crawling on contaminated floors. We, as firefighters, have various gear that is intended to protect us. Wearing proper gloves, a Nomex hood and our masks are just basic examples of ways that we can protect ourselves from fire and smoke. It is important to realize, however, that contamination can also occur when we remove those items. The soot, which often contains contaminants from synthetic materials with various chemicals, can be transferred to the body when gloves, coats and other items are removed. One of the first steps you may see a firefighter take when returning to the station is to engage in even simple decontamination by way of soap and water. Rinsing off gear and boots can provide some level of decontamination. Basic dish soap and water, with a good scrubbing effort, is recognized as effective decontamination. The old tradition of not cleaning gear, to show the efforts of fighting fires, is gone. We now understand that, by not cleaning our gear, toxic substances can remain and accumulate. These substances can come not only from fires, but also accident scenes. This past year, we had COVID-19 as an additional incentive to keep our gear clean (I discussed our extensive cleaning efforts in an earlier article). It is important to attempt to remove any form of contaminant and to keep our gear as clean as possible. Joe Kulik has been a member of the Kennedy VFC since 2002. Keep it clean! NOW HIRING! Oces located in Robinson Twp. & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time job opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional. Call to schedule your interview! No Fees! January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 45St. Clair Hospital News St. Clair Hospital receives 17th consecutive ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, has released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades for Fall 2020, awarding St. Clair Hospital an “A” for its commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest safety standards in the U.S. St. Clair Hospital’s A grade is the Hospital’s 17th consecutive A, placing St. Clair amongst the top hospitals in the country and the leader in the region for patient safety. St. Clair is one of only 41 hospitals across the country with 17 consecutive As and the only hospital in Pennsylvania with that achievement. The Safety Grade assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to hospitals nationwide based on their performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms. Developed under the guidance of a Blue Ribbon National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. St. Clair Hospital receives HAP’s Excellence in Patient Safety recognition St. Clair Hospital has been honored as part of the inaugural class of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania’s Excellence in Patient Safety Recognition program. HAP launched the Excellence in Patient Safety program in 2018 to recognize Pennsylvania’s top- performing hospitals that have demonstrated low rates of health care- associated infections. The program utilizes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Healthcare Safety Network. The program identifies and recognizes those member hospitals that perform better than the mean standardized infection ratio in three key measures: central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter- associated urinary tract infections, and clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections. This year, 21 hospitals were recognized for this achievement. The recognition is open to all Pennsylvania hospitals. A full list of winners can be found at haponline.org. St. Clair was also ranked as a 100 Top Hospital by IBM Watson Health in its 28th annual empirical evaluation of America’s hospitals. IBM Watson Health evaluates all acute care hospitals in the U.S., assessing their patient safety, patient satisfaction, quality of care and efficiency of operations. Urologists with Center for Urologic Care join St. Clair Medical Services Two of the region’s top urologic practices will come together when the four urologists with Center for Urologic Care join St. Clair Medical Services on Jan. 1. This union offers patients more advanced urologic services and greater access to board-certified urologists. St. Clair Medical Services is the employed physician organization of St. Clair Health Corporation and serves the primary specialty, and hospital- based needs of patients throughout the communities served by St. Clair Hospital. The new relationship between the urologists from Center for Urologic Care and St. Clair Medical Services offers a more integrated model of care that directly benefits patients with sophisticated information technology, plus enhanced coordination of care between the urologists, St. Clair’s outpatient centers, and the hospital. Moreover, patients will have access to an interdisciplinary team of clinicians - five exceptionally well-qualified and experienced urologic surgeons. In addition to the four urologists of Center for Urologic Care - Jay A. Lutins, M.D.; Arthur D. Thomas, M.D.; David O. Hepps, M.D.; and Shailen S. Sehgal, M.D. - patients will also have access to board-certified urologist Kevin P. Bordeau, M.D., of St. Clair Medical Services. Patients may call 412.572.6194 for appointments or with questions. 46 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021SAFER KINDER FASTER DON’T DELAY EMERGENCY CARE Emergencies happen even in uncertain times. Don’t risk your health by putting off needed medical care, especially when you have access to the region’s only hospital to be awarded an ‘A’ grade for patient safety for more than 8 consecutive years. Our emergency room utilizes the latest protocols to get you well — and keep you safe — so that the healing starts the second you arrive, all at a hospital that’s a national leader in patient satisfaction. So don’t wait. Get the care you need now. Safer, kinder, faster. 1000 BOWER HILL ROAD • MT. LEBANON, PA 15243 • 412.942.4000 • STCLAIR.ORGPRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID PITTSBURGH PA PERMIT NO. 5605 Hughey Publications, LLC P.O. Box 220 McDonald, PA 15057 Now in Our 21 st Year Proudly Serving the Airport Area Allegheny West MagazineNext >