Business Notes

The National Institutes of Health selected Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC as a Center of Excellence for training the nation’s future leaders in pediatric research. There are only 20 such NIH-funded centers nationwide. These NIH Centers of Excellence -- known as Child Health Research Centers -- serve as hubs for training bright young scientists who are performing cutting-edge laboratory research into pediatric diseases such as cystic fibrosis, cancer and diabetes. Children’s will establish its CHRC though a five-year, $1.9 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Established physician-scientists in Children’s CHRC will mentor and train up to four junior scientists annually. Children’s center will be led by principal investigator David H. Perlmutter, M.D., physician-in-chief at Children’s and the Vira I. Heinz Professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Children’s CHRC will include 27 scientific mentors from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 14 of whom are NIH-funded investigators at Children’s.

Oak Hill Holdings is beginning construction of a 120-room hotel at TECH 21 Research Park in Marshall, the new home of Medrad Inc.’s global center.

The HDH Group of Pittsburgh has merged with Byerly Inc., a Harrisburg-area-based independent insurance agency. The HDH Group is a $15 million annual revenue firm that specializes in employee benefits, property and casualty insurance, risk management services, captives and alternative risk products. Byerly Inc. is a $3 million-plus annual revenue agency, specializing in property and casualty insurance, surety bonding and employee benefits consulting. Combined, the firms manage in excess of $250 million of premium and risk costs and employ more than 100 professionals.

Grant Street Associates Inc., a member of the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance, announced the sale of the Kirby Electric Building at 170 Thorn Hill Road in RIDC Thorn Hill Industrial Park. Robert Geiger of Grant Street Associates represented the seller, Tyler & Associates and Kirby Electric Inc. The buyer, Novis Associates LLC, represented itself. The building, which consists of about 17,600 square feet, sold for about $96.50 per square foot, or $1.7 million.



Contracts


Weleski Transfer was recently awarded a contract for household goods move management by the General Services Administration. The contract is a multiple award contract and is for transportation. This contract is for services up to $1 million a year.

Desmone & Associates Architects was awarded a contract for the reconfiguration of classroom space in the New Science Hall at California University of Pennsylvania.

General Industries, of Charleroi, has completed the new seven-story Nationwide Centre Office Building in downtown Washington, Pa. General Industries is finishing the final tenant improvements and build-outs for the main tenant anchor, Nationwide Appraisal Services Corp., who will move their headquarters from Southpointe to Nationwide Centre in March.

Industrial Data Systems, Nashville, Tenn., which deals in Web-based MSDS and chemical information management software, has hired Kolbrener to elevate the company’s marketing efforts for its flagship product SiteHawk. To begin the engagement, Kolbrener will complete the Discovery and Strategy portions of its Brand Evolution Process. Kolbrener will then revamp the IDS Web site and create new advertising and marketing materials.



Awards/Honors


Edgar Snyder & Associates said attorney Christopher M. Miller was selected as a Pennsylvania Rising Star for the second year in a row. Law & Politics magazine performs the polling, research and selection of Rising Stars in a process designed to identify outstanding Pennsylvania lawyers who have demonstrated superior professional potential.

Excela Health Latrobe Hospital received full accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations as a result of a hospital accreditation program survey.

Gerri Kay, vice president for program and policy at The Pittsburgh Foundation, is the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Isabel P. Kennedy Award, which commemorates the late Isabel Kennedy’s mobilization in the Pittsburgh community to help meet basic human needs in times of crisis. It is presented annually to an Allegheny County resident “for exemplary service over time and outstanding voluntary leadership in the Pittsburgh community.”


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