Rich Fitzgerald has a new job once his term as Allegheny County executive ends.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s board of directors announced Thursday that Fitzgerald has been named the new executive director for SPC, which serves 10 counties around Pittsburgh including Indiana, Armstrong and Westmoreland.

SPC, the federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district serving the Pittsburgh region, said it was planning for the continued growth of the region.

“Thank you to the SPC and its board for this opportunity and thank you to Vince (Valdes) for his work to energize and elevate the organization during his tenure,” Fitzgerald said in a release issued by the commission.

Valdes is retiring at the end of this year.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties,” Fitzgerald continued. “Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

Fitzgerald has served on the SPC’s executive committee, with such officials as Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess, Westmoreland County Commissioner Sean Kertes, and Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian who is that committee’s vice chairman.

“The Board is grateful to Vincent Valdes for positioning SPC to be the region’s leading agent of support to local governments for transportation, broadband, and economic development,” said the chairman of the executive committee, Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche. “He laid the groundwork for Mr. Fitzgerald to carry the Commission and our region to the next level. We are excited about the future of our region under Rich’s leadership.”

Fitzgerald will be welcomed as executive director of the commission when it meets on Dec. 11 at 4 p.m. at The Terminal in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

The commission said Fitzgerald will lead a team of 50 staff members in seven departments, including economic and workforce development; transportation planning; strategic initiatives and policy; information and data; finance; human resources; and communications and public relations.

SPC acts as a cooperative forum for collaboration, planning, and decision-making.

An example of that is a year-long process of developing a Transportation Improvement Plan for the region, which began Oct. 26 in White Township, with the first of a series of public meetings, that were both a status update about the 2023-26 TIP and an introduction to what will become the 2025-28 TIP.

A countywide TIP meeting also was held earlier this month for Westmoreland County in Greensburg. Future meetings including sessions Thursday at the Middlesex Township Municipal Building in Valencia, Butler County, and Dec. 8 at Butler County Community College’s Ford City campus for Armstrong County.

SPC also covers Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties.

Fitzgerald’s new staff includes those who develop public investment plans and programs, and ensure that federal and state transportation requirements are being met.

Fitzgerald served three terms as Allegheny County executive, and will be succeeded by former state Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Pittsburgh. He also previously served on the Allegheny County Council for 11 years, including being elected four times as council president.

Before his time in public service, Fitzgerald founded and ran a water treatment services and equipment company. He grew up in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield-Garfield neighborhood before attending Carnegie Mellon University.

He and his wife live in the Squirrel Hill section of the city and are the parents of eight adult children.

View the full story at leadertimes.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission announced Thursday, Nov. 30, that its board of directors has named Rich Fitzgerald as the organization’s new executive director.

Fitzgerald will officially assume this role on Jan. 2, 2024, once his tenure as Allegheny County Executive concludes.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties,” Fitzgerald said. “Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

As executive director, Fitzgerald will lead a team of 50 staff members in the organization’s seven departments, including economic and workforce development; transportation planning; strategic initiatives and policy; information and data; finance; human resources; and communications and public relations.

View the full story at butlereagle.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has been tapped to lead the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, an obscure government cooperative of 10 counties and the City of Pittsburgh that helps funnel state and federal dollars to projects in the region.

The commission announced Mr. Fitzgerald’s hiring on Thursday. A term-limited Democrat who has served 12 years in Allegheny County’s top elected position, he’ll begin his new job in January once he leaves office. After more than two decades as an Allegheny County official — he was previously on County Council — he will lead a commission that helps direct state and federal transportation and economic development funding throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“Thank you to the SPC and its board for this opportunity and thank you to Vince for his work to energize and elevate the organization during his tenure,” Mr. Fitzgerald said in a statement, referring to outgoing executive director Vincent Valdes. “While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties. Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

Mr. Fitzgerald has already long served on the commission’s executive committee in his capacity as Allegheny County’s leader, including a stint as chairman. The executive committee includes elected officials from around the 10 counties that the commission serves.

He will oversee about 50 employees in his new role, the commission said. He will replace Mr. Valdes, who has served as the commission’s executive director since June 2020. Leslie Osche, chair of the commission and the Butler County Board of Commissioners, said a thorough search process was conducted for Mr. Valdes’ replacement.

“The Board had several objectives when we launched the search process: to attract a candidate that intrinsically understood this region’s unique needs and characteristics, had a track record of leadership and growth cultivation, and would build upon the current strength, talent, and consistency of the SPC staff,” Ms. Osche said in a statement. “We interviewed a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond. Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the Board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

Caitlin O’Connor, a commission spokeswoman, said the search process started months ago, not long after Mr. Valdes told the commission’s board in June that he wanted to retire at the end of 2023. Multiple finalists from more than a dozen initial applicants were interviewed in multiple rounds, she said.

View the full article at post-gazette.com.

Rich Fitzgerald, outgoing Allegheny County executive, is heading to a new gig.

After serving 12 years as the county’s top official, he’ll become executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, a federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district that maps a blueprint for growth in 10 counties in the region. It helps counties, cities, municipalities and townships to access more than $35 billion state and federal transportation and economic development funds allocated to the region through 2045.

Fitzgerald, who was named 2202 Pittsburgher of the Year by Pittsburgh Magazine because of his public service, is term-limited in the county executive position. He’s slated to begin his new job on Jan. 2.

In his new position, the Squirrel Hill father of eight will lead a team of 50 staff members that focus on seven areas, including economic and workforce development, transportation planning and strategic initiatives and policy.

“The board had several objectives when we launched the search process: to attract a candidate that intrinsically understood this region’s unique needs and characteristics, had a track record of leadership and growth cultivation, and would build upon the current strength, talent, and consistency of the SPC staff,” said Leslie Osche, the commission’s board chair and Butler County Commissioner, in a press release.  “We interviewed a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond. Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

The commission’s current executive director, Vincent Valdes, will retire at the end of this year. Fitzgerald’s county executive post will be filled by progressive Democrat Sara Innamorato, who was elected in November as the first woman to assume the county’s top position.

View the full article at pittsburghmagazine.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has been named the new Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

Fitzgerald, as served as county executive role for 12 years. He will assume responsibilities as Executive Director on Jan. 2, 2024 and lead of team of 50 staff members.

Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is the federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district that serves 10 counties in the region.

Listen to the interview at audacy.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will join the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission as its new executive director early next year, officials announced Thursday. Though he’ll no longer be an elected official, Fitzgerald will continue to promote the region in his next job.

View the full article at politicspa.com.

Rich Fitzgerald has a new job once his term as Allegheny County executive ends.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s board of directors announced Thursday that Fitzgerald has been named the new executive director for SPC, which serves 10 counties around Pittsburgh including Indiana, Armstrong and Westmoreland.

SPC, the federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district serving the Pittsburgh region, said it was planning for the continued growth of the region.

“Thank you to the SPC and its board for this opportunity and thank you to Vince (Valdes) for his work to energize and elevate the organization during his tenure,” Fitzgerald said in a release issued by the commission.

Valdes is retiring at the end of this year.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties,” Fitzgerald continued. “Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

Fitzgerald has served on the SPC’s executive committee, with such officials as Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess, Westmoreland County Commissioner Sean Kertes, and Armstrong County Commissioner Pat Fabian who is that committee’s vice chairman.

“The Board is grateful to Vincent Valdes for positioning SPC to be the region’s leading agent of support to local governments for transportation, broadband, and economic development,” said the chairman of the executive committee, Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche. “He laid the groundwork for Mr. Fitzgerald to carry the Commission and our region to the next level. We are excited about the future of our region under Rich’s leadership.”

Fitzgerald will be welcomed as executive director of the commission when it meets on Dec. 11 at 4 p.m. at The Terminal in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

The commission said Fitzgerald will lead a team of 50 staff members in seven departments, including economic and workforce development; transportation planning; strategic initiatives and policy; information and data; finance; human resources; and communications and public relations.

SPC acts as a cooperative forum for collaboration, planning, and decision-making.

An example of that is a year-long process of developing a Transportation Improvement Plan for the region, which began Oct. 26 in White Township, with the first of a series of public meetings, that were both a status update about the 2023-26 TIP and an introduction to what will become the 2025-28 TIP.

A countywide TIP meeting also was held earlier this month for Westmoreland County in Greensburg. Future meetings including sessions Thursday at the Middlesex Township Municipal Building in Valencia, Butler County, and Dec. 8 at Butler County Community College’s Ford City campus for Armstrong County.

SPC also covers Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence and Washington counties.

Fitzgerald’s new staff includes those who develop public investment plans and programs, and ensure that federal and state transportation requirements are being met.

Fitzgerald served three terms as Allegheny County executive, and will be succeeded by former state Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Pittsburgh. He also previously served on the Allegheny County Council for 11 years, including being elected four times as council president.

Before his time in public service, Fitzgerald founded and ran a water treatment services and equipment company. He grew up in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield-Garfield neighborhood before attending Carnegie Mellon University.

He and his wife live in the Squirrel Hill section of the city and are the parents of eight adult children.

Read the full article at indianagazette.com.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will join the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission as its new executive director early next year, officials announced Thursday.

Though he’ll no longer be an elected official, Fitzgerald will continue to promote the region in his next job.

Allegheny County and nine surrounding counties are part of the commission, which plans and prioritizes the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishes economic development priorities for the region. SPC is also a federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district.

Fitzgerald, who is term-limited, has served as county executive since 2012 and was a long-time member of county council prior to his election to the county’s top office. He will join SPC in January, after he departs the position.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties. Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region,” Fitzgerald said in a statement.

Fitzgerald was a member of SPC’s executive committee during his tenure as county executive.

He’ll oversee a staff of 50 in his new role and spearhead the group’s work improving infrastructure, communication, economic development and quality of life issues in the region.

SPC’s current executive director, Vincent Valdes will retire at the end of the year. Fitzgerald will begin his new role on Jan. 2, after his successor, Democrat Sara Innamorato, is sworn in as the next county executive.

View the full article at wesa.fm.

Outgoing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has found a new job that will keep him in the Pittsburgh region and have a similar role in guiding investment and economic policy.

Fitzgerald will be named the new executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the federally designated metropolitan planning organization in charge of guiding government investment for the 10-county region surrounding Pittsburgh. The SPC is in charge of planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishing economic development priorities for the region.

“While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties,” said Fitzgerald in a statement. “Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”

Fitzgerald has served as Allegheny County executive for 12 years. During that time, he has touted his success in growing the county’s rainy day fund, keeping taxes stable and boosting large infrastructure projects such as the $1.5 billion upgrade to the Pittsburgh International Airport.

He will lead a team of 50 staff members, who will focus on economic development, transportation and workforce development.

Fitzgerald is taking over for Vincent Valdes, who has headed the SPC since 2020.

Leslie Osche, SPC’s board chair and Butler County commissioner, said the board sought to attract a candidate who understood the region’s needs and had a track record of growth and leadership. She said Fitzgerald fit that role perfectly.

“We interviewed a diverse group of candidates from the region and beyond,” Osche said. “Rich Fitzgerald certainly exceeded the board’s robust qualifications and competencies.”

A Bloomfield native who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, Fitzgerald now lives in Squirrel Hill. He served on Allegheny County Council for 11 years before being elected executive.

View the full article at triblive.com.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has a new job lined up after he leaves office in January.

Fitzgerald was named the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s new executive director, the board announced on Thursday.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission is a federally certified metropolitan planning organization and local development district that serves 10 counties in the Pittsburgh area and plans for the continued growth of the region.

As the executive director, the commission says Fitzgerald will lead 50 staff members in seven departments like economic and workforce development, transportation planning and strategic initiatives and policy.

Fitzgerald has been Allegheny County executive since 2012 but is term limited. He also served on county council for 11 years, and before that, the Carnegie Mellon graduate ran a water treatment services and equipment company.

The commission’s current executive director, Vincent Valdes, will retire at the end of the year.

“Thank you to the SPC and its board for this opportunity and thank you to Vince for his work to energize and elevate the organization during his tenure,” Fitzgerald said in a news release. “While I’ve always had a regional focus, I look forward to putting my skills and relationships to work for all 10 of our counties. Together, we will continue to concentrate on infrastructure, communication, economic development, workforce and quality of life issues for our region.”  

Fitzgerald will start his new job on Jan. 2. Sara Innamorato will take over as county executive.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission serves Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties as well as the city of Pittsburgh.

View the full article at cbsnews.com.