#TheGroundFloor is thrilled to welcome guest contributor, Zach Schwartz, for this week’s edition! Zach is an integral part of our young leadership at Tree of Life Synagogue & all around the community in Pittsburgh. Since the attack on the Jewish community on October 27, 2018, Zach has stepped up to be a key piece in the healing process of our community.

Zach was born and raised in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. He is a political and government affairs professional who has managed numerous political campaigns at every level and every branch government and has worked for a multitude of diversified organizations. Zach currently lives in his home in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

I am very excited to welcome Zach to #TheGroundFloor where he discusses a very important topic that we should all focus on, compassion.

#TheGroundFloor is excited to welcome guest contributor, Jordyn Kay! Jordyn is the Director of Staff Engagement at a place that is very close to my heart, Emma Kaufmann Camp.

Join Jordyn in this week’s blog post where she details her approach on what it takes to be a leader, with some helpful tips!

Volunteering is a great way to form a stronger sense of place, whether in your own neighborhood or a new part of town. As I have been continuing my journey of starting my own business, I have made a strong effort to build relationships with others who are in similar situations as I am, both locally and nationally.

I have a great friend named Carly Ellis, Founder of Street Lark. Carly & I decided to dive-in to a new opportunity we call, “Learning Through Volunteering”, where we volunteer portions of our time to work with and learn about various non-profit organizations.

We’re excited to kick things off with 412 Food Rescue, which is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit fighting both food waste and food insecurity. Enjoy this week’s #blog post of #TheGroundFloor to hear all about our experience!

#TheGroundFloor is excited to welcome another guest contributor to the table, Brett Baur!

Brett Baur is currently the Vice President, Corporate & Premium Partnership Sales for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Brett’s partnership philosophy stems from a notion taught by an industry mentor – “we want to be viewed as teammates, not a team you sponsor”.

Previously, Brett was the Vice President, Global Partnerships at Monumental Sports & Entertainment and a Senior Manager of Partnerships with the Pittsburgh Penguins where he developed unique platforms and campaigns for brands like Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, the Preferred Realty, Evoqua Water Technologies, FanDuel, HBK CPAs & Consultants, Kent State University, The Milkshake Factory, Orr’s Jewelers, Robert Morris University, Window Nation, and others.

Brett and Andrew Exler have been friends since they first met in the Spring of 2016 and have helped each other grow personally and professionally. Andrew introduced Brett to Pittsburgh’s 50 Finest with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and helped him get accepted into the program while mentoring him through the process. Brett and Andrew regularly discuss sports business, philanthropy, marketing trends and continue to push each other to succeed!

If you’d like to contact Brett, please reach out to him on LinkedIn or via email at Brett.Baur@pirates.com!

It has been a long time coming and I am excited to announce the launch of Andrew Exler Consulting!