PIDC is Philadelphia'€™s public-private economic development corporation created by the City of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in 1958 to engage both the public and private resources to energize Philadelphia'€™s economy. Ever since its founding, PIDC is dedicated to its mission of creating jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods, and driving growth to every corner of Philadelphia. PIDC supports the growth of businesses of all kinds that create jobs in Philadelphia by providing real estate and finance services. With only about 60 employees, PIDC is able to run an operating budget of about $ 10-11 million, engaged in about 150-200 transactions every year, and carry out $ 500 million to $ 1 billion worth of activities.

Technology hubs occupied 13 of the top 25 slots in the Milken Institute’s Best Performing Cities 2013 report. With these kinds of numbers, one might easily assume that technology alone is the key to transforming a city’s prospects for economic development. But technology, while important, is only part of an holistic approach to making cities smarter and better places to live. The other critical component is human expertise directed by innovative strategies and partnerships to overcome societal challenges that cannot be managed by any single sector. In her remarks below, IBM Global Citizenship Initiatives Vice President Diane Melley details the essential role of human capital in urban economic development.

We sat down with two of Philadelphia Youth Network’s (PYN) leaders, Chekemma Fulmore-Townsend, president and CEO, and Stephanie Gambone, executive vice president, to talk about their new leadership roles and the future of PYN. Chekemma and Stephanie have only been in their new roles for 60 days but have worked together for the past eight years. They admitted to thinking very differently, but they have a mutual respect for each other and the dialogue and conversation that it creates. Both mentioned that this is “the beauty” in their working relationship. Both are extremely passionate about their work and the organization and strive for excellence in all that they do. Together, they are committed and looking forward to the next leg of our journey”

Research for Action (RFA) engages in research to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for underserved students. RFA strives to strengthen public schools and postsecondary institutions; provide research-based recommendations to policymakers, practitioners and the public at the local, state and national levels; and enrich the civic and community dialogue about public education.

To recognize the passion and belief Lisa Nutter has for her work as president of Philadelphia Academies Inc. (PAI), you simply have to listen to her speak about the organization. She calls PAI the perfect marriage of community development and systemic change and feels that her whole career has been building toward her current role.

Siobhan Reardon is president and director of the Free Library of Philadelphia and the first woman to serve in this capacity. Since joining the Free Library in 2008, Ms. Reardon has overseen a comprehensive renovation to the flagship Parkway Central library; spearheaded an initiative to create internet outposts called Hot Spots that offer free internet access and job search classes in underserved neighborhoods; and begun the implementation of a significant organizational restructuring of her 700-member staff.

Ken Trujillo is one of the founders of the law firm Trujillo Rodriguez & Richards, LLC. He served as the City Solicitor of Philadelphia and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Throughout his career, Mr. Trujillo has been at the leading edge of some the most important litigation in the country. In addition, as a business leader, Mr. Trujillo plays a major role in public and private economic development. He has been the board chair of Congreso for 20 years, and has been a member of the boards of directors of the Kimmel Center, National Council of La Raza, Community Legal Services, Inc. and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Philadelphia, Inc. Mr. Trujillo served as a board member of the City of Philadelphia Board of Pensions and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation and on the Board of Trustees of the University of the Arts. In 1997, he was named by Mayor Ed Rendell to serve as a member of the City of Philadelphia Police Corruption Task Force. In 1999, Mr. Trujillo was named one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 Under 40.” For several years, Law & Politics and the publishers of Philadelphia Magazine have named Mr. Trujillo a Philadelphia Superlawyer. In 2005, the Mexican government presented Mr. Trujillo with the Ohtli Award, one of the highest awards given to non-Mexican citizens by the Mexican government.

Linda Katz, founder and Executive Director of Children’s Literacy Initiative (CLI), represents a very interesting model and dynamic of leadership. She possesses a unique set of strengths and weaknesses, as well as personal qualities and interests, that combine to make her leadership extremely effective yet idiosyncratic in many ways.

Jeff Brown is a persuasive and dynamic leader with over 20 years of grocery and business experience. He is well-established and experienced in the for-profit supermarket sphere and has quickly gained respect and recognition for his ambition, strategy and leadership in the nonprofit arena. Brown is an entrepreneur, creative thinker and innovative problem-solver.

Inglis Foundation consists of several unique entities with the collective mission to “provide programs and services designed to enable people with physical disabilities to enjoy life with the greatest amount of independence and mobility” (Inglis Foundation). Services include an adult day program, affordable and wheelchair-accessible housing, care management, community employment, specialty nursing care and the Drink-Aide® adaptive water bottle. Inglis House is one of the facilities where Inglis consumers can live and thrive in an environment where independence and growth are encouraged and supported.

Sharmain Matlock-Turner is the President and CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC), previously known as the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition. Sharmain, the first woman to lead the organization, has been at the helm since 1999. The UAC is a large nonprofit that works and partners with government, business, neighborhoods and individuals with the goals of improving the quality of life in the region, building wealth in urban communities, and solving emerging issues.

We asked a group of Philadelphia region Millennials (also known as Generation Y, born from the mid-1970s to the early 2000s) with professional experience in the nonprofit field to share how they feel about their role in shaping our region’s future. The leaders surveyed a smaller group, and what they found and wrote about here dovetails with what we are reading in national articles about our next-generation leaders. We invite you to learn more, and encourage all of you to take them up on their challenge to us, recommendations and next steps.

It was mid-June when we got to sit down with Dorothy Mann, who was set to retire from 33 years at the Family Planning Council at the end of that month. Dorothy admitted it was hard to believe it had been 33 years, observing, “I reinvent my job every two years” to create growth and diversity. But, Dorothy also allowed, “I’m retiring from the Family Planning Council, but not from work, because I found something I really want to do next.”  Before Dorothy would spill her beans about her new and exciting endeavors, we sat down to interview a phenomenal woman leader and legend in her own right.

Ernest “Ernie” Jones is not a native Philadelphian, even though most cannot remember a time when Ernie was not part of the city’s core group of leaders. Ernie spent the first part of his childhood in Georgia, but moved to Philadelphia when he was 10 years old, making him an adopted son of the city. Ernie attended Philadelphia School District schools and ultimately graduated from Temple Law School. During his broad-reaching career, Ernie has served as an Assistant District Attorney, General Counsel at Temple Law School, Executive Director at Community Legal Services, President of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, and President and CEO of the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation.

In the middle of the night, I wake up thinking about this question.

Why is this on my mind, you might be wondering? As a recently baptized Ashoka Fellow, I find myself spending a lot of time lately explaining the meaning of the phrase social entrepreneurship. The sometimes confused looks on the faces of people listening tell me that they don't always get it.

Jeff Brown is the Founder, President and CEO of Brown’s Super Stores, which operates 10 ShopRite supermarkets in the region. Brown’s Super Stores has been recognized by the White House as well as numerous local and national media outlets for its efforts in serving low-income communities who often suffer the effects of living in a “food desert,” a community that lacks access to healthy and affordable food. Jeff Brown is also Founder and Chairman of a public 501(c)(3) nonprofit, UpLift Solutions (www.upliftsolutions.org), which serves governments, supermarket operators and manufacturers, and nonprofits interested in correcting food desert challenges in the United States with a comprehensive menu of services to support such efforts.

Rob Wonderling became President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce just shy of one year ago. The Chamber is a business advocacy organization of 5,000 member companies, including a growing nonprofit sector that promotes growth and economic development in the 11-county region and advocates for sound public policy while delivering strong member services and programs.

Joseph Pyle, MA, has more than 25 years’ experience in behavioral health serving as both a clinician and administrator, with over eight of those years as CEO of behavioral health organizations. He presently is serving as President of the Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation. We spent some time with Mr. Pyle recently, discussing best practices in public health and how his organization strives to foster improvements throughout the region:

Despite increasing strategic crossover between the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, public sector nonprofit governance requires a unique approach. This article delves into the factors that distinguish an effective nonprofit leader, drawing on literature about entrepreneurship and emotional intelligence to uncover both the personal, internal composition of a strong nonprofit leader and the public sector’s inherent challenges and opportunities.

Since 1996, Susan Sherman, RN, MA, has served as President and CEO of the Independence Foundation in Philadelphia, a private philanthropy with annual giving of over $8 million. Ms. Sherman is a member of the board of directors of several local and national organizations, and she has received numerous awards for her service and leadership in the public sector, education and nursing, particularly in Philadelphia. We were fortunate to spend a few minutes talking to her about her insights on Philadelphia, leadership and innovation.