Pittsburgh Business Leaders Come Together For Second Annual Share Event At Rivers Casino

Business Leaders Collaborate to Promote Economic Opportunities for Diverse Businesses

PITTSBURGH – April 1, 2016 – Pittsburgh’s top economic engines and employment organizations came together at Rivers Casino yesterday for a one-of-a-kind collaborative networking opportunity, SHARE 2016. The SHARE event aims to stimulate ideas regarding minority-owned, woman-owned and other diverse business in the region and to keep the progress rolling for years to come.

SHARE utilizes a professional matchmaking company to connect like-minded businesses and potential customers, suppliers and business partners. Potential customers and suppliers were matched with companies at the event and engaged in a networking seminar, following remarks from Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Rivers Casino general manager Craig Clark and more. The event was emceed by KDKA’s Lynne Hayes-Freeland.

“We are pleased that the Pittsburgh business community came together again this year in a huge way to support this event. Through communication, collaboration and commerce, the region is working to improve the economic development of diverse businesses. What a monumental and powerful initiative. The ultimate goal is to make SHARE an annual, legacy event for Western Pa,” said Toni Y. Silva, director, supplier relations at UPMC.

More than 80 potential customers and suppliers were matched by 27 organizations throughout the event.

The matchmaking event was planned by representatives from UPMC, PNC, Highmark Health the Eastern Minority Supplier Development Council, Allegheny County MWDBE Department, Rivers Casino, Women’s Business Enterprise Council and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, which secured participation from the Pittsburgh business community.

“It is a pleasure to host Pittsburgh’s economic leaders and spearhead the discussion of further integrating diverse businesses into our city’s marketspace,” said Craig Clark, general manager of Rivers Casino.

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ABOUT SHARE
The annual SHARE event, created by UPMC, grew out of a 2013 effort to increase economic opportunities for minorities by the Corporate Equity and Inclusion Roundtable, led by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Tim Stevens, president of the Black Political Empowerment Project. In 2014, UPMC followed with its own attempt to match its MWDBE vendors to other regional corporations that might need their services. The event was so successful that a collaborative planning committee, comprised of major corporations and organizations in the community, was formed to further promote the economic growth and development of MWDBE suppliers in the region.

ABOUT RIVERS CASINO
Opened in 2009, Rivers Casino has been voted a “Best Place to Work” in the Pittsburgh Business Times, a “Top Workplace” in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Best Overall Gaming Resort" in Pennsylvania by Casino Player magazine and "Best Overall Casino" in Pennsylvania by Strictly Slots magazine. The casino features more than 2,900 slots, 83 table games, a 30-table poker room, nine distinctive restaurants and bars, a riverside amphitheater, a multipurpose event space, live music performances, free parking and multiple promotions and giveaways daily. Already, more than $542 million in jackpots have been awarded to players at Rivers Casino. For more information, visit riverscasino.com. 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Emily Adams 
For Rivers Casino
267-932-8760 x 308
[email protected]