Financial Times Hearts Pittsburgh

The Financial Times has published a bunch of articles special for the G-20 Summit. Pittsburgh is one of the stars of the spread. Both Mike Madison and Prof Briem are quoted. The list of articles:

Face of the city: Civic foresight aids shift to cafe culture

Industry: No longer ‘hell with the lid off’

Rennaissance: Thriving on diversity instead of its mills

New industries: More than eds and meds

Nothing new, but all of it is worth reading. Passage that stood out for me:

Barrie Athol, who oversees the post-merger integration, says the high-level academic institutions, lower cost of living and the company’s scale in the region will ensure Pittsburgh remains a key centre for the company.

“Why would I want to have a fund accountant in midtown Manhattan when I can have it here?” he says. “We do have other options around the country but the difference is that in Pittsburgh we have scale.”

Still, not every corporate leader is an unabashed Pittsburgh-lover. One executive dismisses the city as “having New York’s attitude and hassles without the amenities”.

I like the contrast. One sees Pittsburgh as Manhattan without all the costs. The other thinks the city is Manhattan without any of the benefits. Either way, Pittsburgh should be flattered.