Pittsburgh will get its own Walk of Fame
PITTSBURGH ― Move over Hollywood, Pittsburgh might soon get its own Walk of Fame.
A new nonprofit, Pittsburgh Walk of Fame Inc., has formed to establish a walkway honoring people from southwestern Pennsylvania who have made notable contributions to American culture.
"Envisioned as a must-see tourist attraction at a yet-to-be-determined location, the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame will feature markers embedded in a sidewalk, each recognizing one of the many diverse people from the Pittsburgh region whose talents, skills, and genius have contributed significantly to science and technology, the humanities, and American arts and culture," a press release from Pittsburgh Walk of Fame, said. "It will be a landmark designed to expand annually, with public input helping to determine each year’s inductees. Long-range plans include incorporating technology to make the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame an interactive experience on personal devices via a customized app."
At a recent organizational meeting, founding board members were voted into office. Jim Rudolph, an established Pittsburgh developer and community volunteer, is serving as president. Tripp Clarke, co-founder and former owner of Blink marketing agency, is vice-president. Rounding out the executive committee are treasurer Michael Goldstein, CFO of Walnut Capital; and secretary Geraldine Jones, retired president of California University of Pennsylvania.
Other founding directors include: Diana Bucco, president of The Buhl Foundation; Hilda Pang Fu, founder and president of Luminari; Martha “Mardi” Isler, president of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition and a community volunteer on many fronts; KenyaBoswell, senior vice-president of community affairs at Highmark Health; Joel Burstein, CEO and co-founder of BEAM Collaborative; and Rick Sebak, WQED producer, writer, and on-air host.
Nancy Polinsky Johnson, longtime WQED on-air host, has been named executive director. Johnson was inspired to launch this initiative after visiting other walks of fame around the country.
“There are so many talented people from our area − some well known and others with little name recognition − who have all made amazing contributions to our nation’s culture. I want visitors to our city to be blown away learning about them,” Johnson said. “And, I want local people to burst with pride as they also discover the brilliant gifts that people with ties to our region have bestowed upon America − everything from the cure for polio and the Ferris wheel, to Pulitzer Prize-winning plays and top Billboard songs.”
“The Pittsburgh Walk of Fame will add a new attraction for those looking to see and experience our destination’s legacy and impact in a unique way,” Jerad Bachar, President & CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH said. “We look forward to seeing this exciting project come to life.”
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Pittsburgh to get Walk of Fame
