Board Members
ROBERT D. JONES, Chair
Re-appointed in December 2009 by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. Term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Having served in a variety of positions over his lengthy career in the energy industry, Mr. Jones is currently Sr Manager, External Affairs for Peoples Natural Gas. He is also President & CEO of Ingood Company, LLC., a Pittsburgh-based management consulting firm.
Mr. Jones has also served as instructor for the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) where he taught Human Resources Management and Information Management to students of the International Management Development Institute (IMDI).
Mr. Jones' recent community activities include: Local Government Academy (Chairman Emeritus); Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (Board President); Middle Monongahela Industrial Development Association (Director); Altoona-Blair County Development, Inc. (Director); African American Chamber of Commerce in Western PA (Founding Member; Foundation Board); Westmoreland Cultural Trust (Director); Rivers Club (Board of Governors); Butler County Community Development Corporation (Director); and Univeristy of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics (Board of Fellows).
Mr. Jones and his wife, Dee, are natives of Pittsburgh and have reared six children.
Rick Pierchalski, Vice-Chair
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. Term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
A resident of Mt. Washington, Mr. Pierchalski is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of BPU Investment Management, Inc., located in the Oxford Center in Pittsburgh. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Mr. Pierchalski attended the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Pierchalski is the Chairman of the Polish Cultural Council and a member of the Loan Review Committee of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh. Mr. Pierchalski is the former treasurer/trustee of the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City, former President of Pike Run Country Club in Jones Mills, PA, and has sat on several national boards of Polish American organizations in the United States.
STANLEY J. PARKER, Secretary/Treasurer
Re-appointed in December 2009 by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. Term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Mr. Stanley J. Parker is a shareholder in the Litigation Section of the law firm of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. Mr. Parker's practice encompasses litigation involving real estate, energy and natural resources, tax assessment and tax exemptions, landlords and tenants, construction litigation, trade secret and employment claims. Mr. Parker has served as lead counsel in both jury and non-jury trials throughout the nation, and has been involved in appellate work including arguments before the Pennsylvania and federal appellate courts.
Active in civic and charitable communities, Mr. Parker is Vice Chair, Civil Litigation Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association; board member of the City of Pittsburgh Marathon; former president of the Board of Directors of Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers; and former chair, Civil Litigation Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
Mr. Parker was selected by Impact Magazine as a member of the 2004 Young Leaders Group, a group of emerging Pennsylvania leaders aged 45 and younger that is committed to Allegheny County's future and whose members donate time or money to support United Way of Allegheny County programs. He was one of 35 Pennsylvania attorneys selected as a 2005 "Lawyer on the Fast Track" in The Legal Intelligencer and The Pennsylvania Law Weekly. Also in 2005, he was named as a Pennsylvania Rising Star by Philadelphia Magazine. Mr. Parker was named one of the "40 Under 40" top community leaders by Pittsburgh Magazine and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project in 2006.
DANIEL J. GRIFFIN
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. Term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Dan Griffin is a life-long resident of Allegheny County, and is the General Manager of Club Operations for Oxford Development Company. The Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford Pa. features over 150,000 square feet of indoor space and employs more than 175 Allegheny County residents. The Oxford Athletic Club is one of the largest such facilities in the eastern United States. Dan was also the founder and president of the Downtown Athletic Club of Pittsburgh from 1995 until mid 2009, and has been employed in the health and fitness field since 1979.
He was an instructor at the first Nautilus equipped club in the region in 1977 (Steel City Nautilus). From 1981 through 1995, he was employed by Club One as a fitness instructor, was promoted to fitness director and finally to Vice President and General Manager (with ownership). During his tenure at Club One, Mr. Griffin was certified by the American College of Sports Medicine and by the Club Management Institute of IHRSA (held at Michigan University). Club One grew from a single-purpose racquetball facility into a 60,000 sq. foot, full service health and wellness center. In 1995, he divested his interest in Club One and founded the Downtown Athletic Club of Pittsburgh.
Dan was recognized by Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania as "business of the year" in 1999, citing Mr. Griffin's dedication to the community and to its youth through his many volunteer and charitable activities. Mr. Griffin was also recognized by City of Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy for significant equipment donations to the Hill District YMCA.
Mr. Griffin is an active participant in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County community issues. He was a member of Leadership Pittsburgh class of 1996. He co-founded and was president of the Allegheny County Chamber Federation (Western PA Growth Alliance), a coalition of 25 regional chambers of commerce. He is a board member of the Tickets for Kids Foundation and is an appointed Finance Council member for St Joseph’s O’Hara Township.
Dan has been an active proponent of the Allegheny Regional Asset District since his appointment to the board in 1998. He has served as Vice-Chair in 1999 and 2000, and in 2009. He was elected chair in 2001 and served the maximum two year term.
Dan, his wife, Marian, and their son, Sean, reside in O'Hara Township.
DUSTY ELIAS KIRK
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. Term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.
Dusty Elias Kirk is a partner in the Pittsburgh office of Pepper Hamilton LLP. She is co-chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group and chair of the Sustainability, CleanTech and Climate Change Team. She also is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. She concentrates her practice on all aspects of real estate development, with an emphasis on real estate litigation, including real estate tax assessment appeals, land use and zoning appeals, and eminent domain proceedings. Ms. Kirk’s work in real estate development includes handling the acquisition, financing and tax increment financing for commercial, retail, office, industrial and institutional properties, and obtaining economic incentives for development projects. She counsels her clients on an array of sustainability issues that impact development projects and facilities, including advice on sustainable development matters. Ms. Kirk represents real estate developers, property owners and nonprofit institutions in real estate assessment appeals of industrial, commercial, office, retail and exempt properties in issues regarding valuation of real estate, tax-exempt status, taxation of mineral rights and tax abatements for newly constructed and reconstructed properties. She litigates matters throughout Pennsylvania before administrative hearing boards, as well as in trial and appellate proceedings.
Ms. Kirk is an active member in the business and charitable communities. She is a member of the Board of Governors of the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA). She is chair of the Council for the Real Property Section of the ACBA, and a member of the Women in the Profession Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She also is on the steering committee of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Community Development Network, a part of Sustainable Pittsburgh. She was recently appointed to the Allegheny County Transportation Action Partnership. She is chair-elect of the board of directors of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.
Ms. Kirk received her B.A. from Allegheny College and her J.D from Dickinson School of Law. She resides in Squirrel Hill with her husband, Bill Caroselli, and her two children.
Dr. Daniel Rosen
Daniel Rosen, Ph.D., M.S.W. is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, where he teaches courses in the areas of research and urban analysis. Dr. Rosen has considerable experience in research, organizational development and urban social issues. He is the current recipient of a grant from the National institute of Health that examines the intersection between aging and substance abuse.
Dr. Rosen is the recipient of several national honors including the John A. Hartford Faculty Scholar in Geriatric Social Work; he is also a Wexner Heritage Community Fellow.
Dr. Rosen is the chair of AgeWell Pittsburgh, serves on the board of the Allegheny Health Choices, Inc., the Friendship Circle and the United Jewish Federation Health and Human Service funding commission.
He and his wife, Shani, live in Pittsburgh where they are raising three daughters.
Dr. Rosen was nominated to the RAD Board by the Friendship Development Associates.
CONSTANCE L. YARRIS
Appointed by Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato. Term coincides with the term of office of the appointing authority and until its successor is appointed and qualified.Connie Yarris is a real estate agent in the Mon Valley area and has extensive experience with non-profit organizations. She was employed by Allegheny County Head Start for 18 years, and also has experience with The United Way, Meals on Wheels and as a former Director of the YWCA of McKeesport.
Ms. Yarris is a member of the Mon-Valley Providers Council, McKeesport Development Corp. Board of Directors, Junior Achievement Board of Directors, YWCA Women of Achievement Committee, McKeesport Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, McKeesport Symphony Auxiliary and McKeesport Kiwanis.
Ms. Yarris is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh XIV. She is a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh and currently resides in Jefferson Hills with her husband Bud.