Industry is our Industry
Industry (noun) :
diligence in a pursuit; especially : steady or habitual effort
It is common for some Pittsburghers to look back at the 1970's as a time when Pittsburgh lost it's industry. I understand what they mean- it was a time when our steel and related manucturing base declined.
However the notion of Pittsburgh losing it's industry has never sat well with me.
To the contrary, it is our industry ( our steady and habitual diligence in our pursuits ) that defines Pittsburgh, and has allowed us to remain a vital region when all odds were against us. Most cities in our position have never had a Renisainnce, but we are beginning our third. Our skyline, rivers and views are the envy of cities around the globe, and we have successfully made the transition from a manufacturing to a knowledge based economy.
It is true that the loss of steel manufacturing hit the region hard, but it was not just our steel that built the Empire State Building, The Brooklyn Bridge, The St. Louis Arch or the Kennedy Space Center. It was our industry.
Pittsburgh produced more steel for weapons, ships and planes during World War II than every allied county combined. Pittsburgh was nicknamed The Arsenal of Democracy!
However, it was not just our steel and related manufacturing that won WWII, it was our industry.
Pittsburgh's industrious nature is in the cities DNA. Achievement is our birthright.
We have earned our place in the American and World history books, and it is our work ethic and desire to achieve that has put us there. It is that exact same work ethic that is driving people at UPMC to develop a diabetes vaccine. It is an extraordinary work ethic that drives the people at CMU to develop robots that will save the lives of our soldiers , and the people at Bayer to develop new materials for the 21st century.
I firmly believe that these industrious people will one day see their names in the same history books as Andrew Carnegie, Jonas Salk, and George Westinghouse.
Our regional focus should never stray from our core value:
Promote industry! Foster the desire and create the climate to achieve great things.
Our diligenge in that effort will pay great dividends.
Have a great day at work.
diligence in a pursuit; especially : steady or habitual effort
It is common for some Pittsburghers to look back at the 1970's as a time when Pittsburgh lost it's industry. I understand what they mean- it was a time when our steel and related manucturing base declined.
However the notion of Pittsburgh losing it's industry has never sat well with me.
To the contrary, it is our industry ( our steady and habitual diligence in our pursuits ) that defines Pittsburgh, and has allowed us to remain a vital region when all odds were against us. Most cities in our position have never had a Renisainnce, but we are beginning our third. Our skyline, rivers and views are the envy of cities around the globe, and we have successfully made the transition from a manufacturing to a knowledge based economy.
It is true that the loss of steel manufacturing hit the region hard, but it was not just our steel that built the Empire State Building, The Brooklyn Bridge, The St. Louis Arch or the Kennedy Space Center. It was our industry.
Pittsburgh produced more steel for weapons, ships and planes during World War II than every allied county combined. Pittsburgh was nicknamed The Arsenal of Democracy!
However, it was not just our steel and related manufacturing that won WWII, it was our industry.
Pittsburgh's industrious nature is in the cities DNA. Achievement is our birthright.
We have earned our place in the American and World history books, and it is our work ethic and desire to achieve that has put us there. It is that exact same work ethic that is driving people at UPMC to develop a diabetes vaccine. It is an extraordinary work ethic that drives the people at CMU to develop robots that will save the lives of our soldiers , and the people at Bayer to develop new materials for the 21st century.
I firmly believe that these industrious people will one day see their names in the same history books as Andrew Carnegie, Jonas Salk, and George Westinghouse.
Our regional focus should never stray from our core value:
Promote industry! Foster the desire and create the climate to achieve great things.
Our diligenge in that effort will pay great dividends.
Have a great day at work.
posted by Proud Pittsburgh at 8:59 AM
2 Comments:
I have a question--Why do we need a third Renaissance if the first two were successful?
I believe that this third renaissance is an "industrial" renaissance, as well as an urban renaissance.
This renaissance is about residential development downtown and all of the great things that come with it. However, what I am most excited about is the new "industries" that I see on the horizon. For decades we have been pioneers in the fields of robotics, nanotechnology, computer technology, regenerative medicine and advanced materials. But for the most part, that pioneering took place only in the academic world.
I feel that we may be at the cusp of a major shift towards commercialization of academic technologies.
Votes of confidence from Google and Bill Gates among other things, lead me to believe that a move from the realm of broad academic research into commercialization of technology is possible in the near future.
If this change can occur, I feel that our "Industrial Renaissance" may eclipse the others.
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