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Good coffee. Good conversation! Get to know Pennsylvania’s political players and policymakers with host Matt Brouillette, president and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs.
Family Wealth Planning Partners presents Connecting the Commonwealth. This is a podcast designed to introduce our listeners to some of the fabulous business owners and influencers within the Louisville Metro area.
Interviews with awesome sci fi and fantasy storytellers about world building, creative process and more! Whether you're an aspiring writer or just an avid fan, join us for discussions staying sane while writing, strange ornamental weapons lying around the desk and, inevitably, Skyrim. An official partner of Tor UK, my favourite publisher of SFF & horror.
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Ep85: Devlin Robinson, Incoming PA senator, combat veteran, small businessman
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Incoming state Senator Devlin Robinson defeated incumbent Democrat Sen. Pam Iovino in Nov. 2020, flipping the 37th Senate seat in Allegheny and Washington counties from blue to red. Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette speaks with Devlin about his background as a Marine Corps veteran who served three combat tours in Iraq and Afg…
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Ep 84: Abhi Samuel: What makes America unique?
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For those of us who grew up in the United States, it can be easy to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy. But when we experience these freedoms through the eyes of someone who knows what it's like not to have them, our perspective can change. Abhi Samuel, who serves as Director of Entrepreneur Engagement for Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entre…
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Ep83: Carrie DelRosso, Incoming PA State Rep & Small Business Owner
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In perhaps the biggest upset of the 2020 elections in Pennsylvania, Republican Carrie DelRosso defeated Democrat House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, who had been in office for nearly 30 years. Shortly after the election, Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette spoke with Carrie about her motivation for running and her priorities a…
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Ep82: Lenny McAllister, CEO, PA Coalition of Public Charter Schools
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Lenny McAllister is a name well known in Pennsylvania and beyond. As the new CEO of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, Lenny joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about his passion for expanding educational opportunity for children across Pennsylvania and how his organization is doing just that.…
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Ep81: Ryan Aument, PA Senator and former U.S. Army Captain
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From fighting overseas as a Captain in the United States Army to fighting in Harrisburg so kids can get a better education, Pennsylvania State Senator Ryan Aument traveled a unique path to the Legislature. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sen. Aument shares how he became interested in public servic…
Diana is a fantastic executive in Louisville and has a great heart for helping people in the community. Please give the podcast a listen and if you would like to be a guest in a future episode let us know or if you want to listen to future episodes be sure to subscribe!By Family Wealth Planning Partners
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Ep80: Curt Schroder on COVID protections for businesses
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As the economy slowly reopens, businesses small and large are under significant threat of COVID related lawsuits, even when they do everything right. Curt Schroder, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform, talks with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette about how lawmakers can protect businesses…
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Ep79: Tim DeFoor, GOP candidate for PA Auditor General
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Pennsylvania has not had a Republican Auditor General in decades. Tim DeFoor wants to change that. With 25 years of experience in fraud investigations and auditing, Tim is passionate about bringing transparency to government. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, Tim talks about how he chose his career …
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Ep78: PA GOP Chair Lawrence Tabas on mail-in voting
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PA GOP Chair and election attorney Lawrence Tabas joins Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about mail-in voting in this key swing state, and why election results may not be known until well after Election Day.By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep77: CapitAlism works, and CapitOlism doesn't
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Capitalism has been accused of many ills over the years, but is it guilty as charged? In this episode, Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs President and CEO Matt Brouillette talks about lessons learned from the Jamestown settlement's economic experience. He shares how capitalism has proven to be the best antidote to poverty and explains …
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Ep76: Reclaiming Public Education by Commonwealth Partners President & CEO Matt Brouillette
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Have we forgotten the true purpose of public education? As the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the educational landscape, more and more parents are considering options other than traditional brick-and-mortar public schools for their children. Now more than ever, we should revisit the original purpose of public education—and reclaim our education syst…
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Ep75: Rep. Clint Owlett on getting PA students 'Back on Track'
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It’s not every lawmaker who can say his district includes the Grand Canyon—Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon, that is. But Rep. Clint Owlett (Tioga, Bradford, & Potter counties) can make that claim. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Owlett shares why he considers himself an e…
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Ep74: Dave Spigelmyer, president, Marcellus Shale Coalition
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In late June, 2020, PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued a scathing Grand Jury report taking aim at Pennsylvania's natural gas industry. But the report was more anti-natural gas politics than fact. Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer joins Commonwealth Partners President & CEO Matt Brouillette to set the record straight and corre…
Pennsylvania's newly elected House Speaker Bryan Cutler discusses his path from Majority Whip to Majority Leader to Speaker of the House. He also shares his thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the state Legislature’s priorities and why some of those who supported him for Speaker actually wanted him to remain Majority Leader. For a mo…
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Short Take 6: From political science to affective science
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At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tom Wolf assured Pennsylvanians his decisions would be driven by data and science. But as “flatten the curve” slowly turned into “flatten the economy,” it became clear Gov. Wolf’s science of choice was political. Now, however, political science has given way to “affective science,” as Wolf’s rhetoric has …
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Ep72: Nathan McGrath, president & general counsel, The Fairness Center
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Public sector unions are supposed to represent their workers, but where can workers go when they’ve been mistreated by union officials? In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Nathan McGrath, president and general counsel of The Fairness Center, explains how this non-profit public interest law firm helps …
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Ep71: Rep. Tim O'Neal on liquor privatization in PA
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Among the many things Pennsylvanians saw throughout Gov. Tom Wolf’s shutdown of the economy during COVID, the disaster of the state-run liquor system ranks among the more frustrating. From closed stores to an attempt at online selling that launched with abysmal failure, government-run booze underwhelmed, to say the least. In this episode, Commonwea…
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Ep70: Zach Shamberg, president & CEO, Pennsylvania Health Care Association
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One topic that’s been front and center during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania is the state’s response to helping residents and staff of long-term care facilities. Zach Shamberg, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), shares a first-hand view of how PHCA, as a private membership organization, acted early to equip…
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Short Take 5: Civilian Coronavirus Corps fails to solve problem Gov. Wolf made
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PA Gov. Tom Wolf has proposed creating a “Commonwealth Civilian Coronavirus Corps” to combat COVID-19 and help put unemployed Pennsylvanians back to work—working for the government, that is. Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs Board Member David Hogg, an entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of a hospitality development and management …
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Ep69: Rep. Seth Grove on Gov. Wolf's shutdown & safely re-opening PA
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In light of PA Gov. Tom Wolf's threats to retaliate against counties and businesses that re-open without his permission, Rep. Seth Grove addresses what powers the governor does and does not have and discusses the growing frustration over Wolf's refusal to listen to Pennsylvanians who are hurting.By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep68: Mike Pries, Vice-Chairman, Dauphin County Board of Commissioners
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With much focus in Pennsylvania on the state's response to COVID-19, how are county leaders responding? In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, Dauphin County Commissioner Mike Pries details his county's response, along with what communication the governor's administration has--or has not--had with county…
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Short Take 4: Kids are short-changed when schools refuse to change
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With traditional public schools shuttered for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year, are kids being shortchanged amid COVID-19? In this audio version of an op-ed by Matt Brouillette--a former high school and middle school teacher and current president and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs--you'll hear how the education es…
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Ep67: Adventures in liquor-buying in PA: David La Torre's story
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Buying liquor in Pennsylvania in normal times is bad enough, given the state's government-run liquor monopoly. But trying to buy liquor through the government-run system during a pandemic is downright maddening (and slightly hilarious). David La Torre shares his experience trying, trying, trying, and finally succeeding in buying some booze!…
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Short Take 3: Believe the (Political) Science
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As weeks of Gov. Wolf’s shutdown order drag on, we’re told to rely on the data, trust the science, and believe the experts. But what is the data? What is the science? Who are the experts? As Wolf repeatedly refuses to answer such questions, it seems more likely his decisions are being driven by political science more than actual science.…
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Ep66: Jonathan Goldstein, attorney filing federal lawsuit over COVID business shutdown
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Nearly six weeks into Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s business shutdown order in response to COVID-19, attorney and business owner Jonathan Goldstein joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to discuss a federal lawsuit he’s filed challenging Gov. Wolf’s order—but not for the reasons you might think.…
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Ep65: COVID shut-down order impact on PA supply chain & manufacturing
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In the fall-out of PA Gov. Tom Wolf's executive order closing wide swaths of the state's economy, David Taylor, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association, discusses the disastrous impact the haphazard order has had on critical supply chain companies and considers how well Pennsylvania is poised to come back once the state’s e…
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Ep64: Cris Dush, state representative, candidate for PA senate, veteran
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As a child, PA State Rep. Cris Dush got to know not one or two but three of his great-grandparents—who knew people who fought in the Civil War. This led to his love of history. And Cris is the descendant of both Civil War and Revolutionary War veterans, which led to his love for our military. Now, Cris is wrapping up three terms serving in the stat…
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Short Take 2: What’s the goal to win the war against COVID-19?
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In any battle, a clear goal is essential. This audio version of a commentary by Commonwealth Partners President & CEO Matt Brouillette outlines why this clarity is particularly critical in the battle against COVID-19.By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep63: Doug Mastriano, state senator, retired Army colonel, author, and more
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Recounting a 30-year military career, a family background of unbelievable stories of heroism, and a passion for America, freshman PA state Senator Doug Mastriano has a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sen. Mastriano discusses his experiences as a c…
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Short Take 1: Power, Patronage, Politics & the Pennsylvania Turnpike
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By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep62: Ethan Demme, Entrepreneur & East Lampeter Township Supervisor
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By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep61: Andy Phillips, Executive Director, Logos Academy Harrisburg
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By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep60: David Rowe, Pa. State Rep, Entrepreneur
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By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep59: Heather Heidelbaugh, candidate for PA attorney general
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By Commonwealth Partners
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Ep58: Martina White, State Representative & New Chair, Republican Party of Philadelphia
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In 2015, Martina White became the first new Republican elected to the State Legislature in Philadelphia in 25 years. Now, as the newly elected chair of the Republican Party of Philadelphia, she faces the challenge of revitalizing a party in need of a resurgence. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Mar…
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Ep57: Chris Frye, Mayor-Elect, New Castle, PA
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Chris Frye made history on Election Day by being elected the first black mayor of New Castle, Pennsylvania. His historic win also crossed party lines, as Democrats in New Castle far outnumber Republicans in voter registration, and Chris is a Republican. In this conversation, Chris shares his compelling story of growing up on the welfare system then…
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Ep56: Dawn Keefer, PA State Representative, Business Owner
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You might say PA State Representative Dawn Keefer grew up with small business in her DNA. Coming from an entrepreneurial family, she launched her own business and didn't intend to run for office. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Keefer shares the tipping point that inspired her to run, tells o…
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Ep55: Rick Gray, former mayor of Lancaster, Pa.
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Former Mayor Rick Gray spent 12 years leading the Red Rose City—Lancaster, PA. As a lifelong student of American government and history, Rick kept charts in high school of how U.S. Senators voted on various issues. In this episode, Rick talks about his time leading Pennsylvania’s eighth-largest city and addresses the state of partisanship today.…
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Ep54: Jesse Topper, Pa. State Representative, Former Baseball Umpire
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From baseball umpire to … state legislator? That’s the path of Representative Jesse Topper, who also has the somewhat unique experience among legislators of having earned a degree in music. In this episode, Rep. Topper talks about his transition from umpire to lawmaker and how sports prepared him for public service. He also dives into his work on t…
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Ep53: Carolyn Dumaresq, Former PA Sec't of Ed, Union Leader, Charter Advocate
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Teacher, principal, superintendent, secretary of education, teachers’ union executive director—Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq knows education inside-out. Now, she’s fighting opposition in an effort to open a charter school in Harrisburg. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Dr. Dumaresq shares how someone who on…
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Brooke Maggs • Narrative Design From Non-verbal Indies to AAA
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Brooke is a narrative designer and writer from Australia.She has worked on award-winning games titles such as The Gardens Between, Paperbark and Florence. Currently, she has just finishwed working on Control, by Remedy Entertainment.Brooke received the MCV Pacific XBOX Women in Games Creative Impact award for her work in the game industry.This epis…
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Ep52: David Taylor, President & CEO, PA Manufacturers' Association
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Founded in 1909, the Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association (PMA) has worked consistently for more than a century to advance pro-growth public policies in the state. PMA President & CEO David Taylor joins Commonwealth Partners President & CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about the strength and intricacies of the state's manufacturing industry and how …
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Ep51: Ana Meyers, Executive Director, PA Coalition of Public Charter Schools
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Pennsylvania’s Gov. Tom Wolf recently took aim at public charter schools, threatening to cut their funding and limit options for even more students. Ana Meyers, the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to set the record straight on how these school…
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Ep50: Guy Ciarrocchi, president, Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry
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Chester County, PA, located outside Philadelphia, went from red to blue between the 2016 and 2018 elections. Is this the beginning of a trend?Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry president Guy Ciarrocchi talks with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette about the county's economic growth, how educational opportunity is ac…
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Ep49: Frank Ryan, PA State Representative & Retired USMC Colonel
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State Representative Frank Ryan is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel and CPA who specialized in saving companies from bankruptcy. Now, he's taking on one of Pennsylvania's most angst-inducing issues: property taxes. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Ryan discusses how he got into politics, hi…
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Ep48: Sam DeMarco, Allegheny County GOP Chair
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Newly elected Allegheny County GOP Chair Sam DeMarco has a focused vision for the county. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sam shares why he became a Republican, what needs to happen to strengthen and grow the county party, and his predictions for Trump’s 2020 victory prospects both nationally and …
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Ep47: Aaron Anderson, CEO & Head of School, Logos Academy
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Logos Academy has been serving children in York, Pa. for more than 20 years. Unique among many private schools, Logos reserves 2/3 of its seats for students living in poverty. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Logos CEO and Head of School Aaron Anderson discuss Logos' philosophy of education, the de…
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Ep46: Dave Spigelmyer, President, Marcellus Shale Coalition
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Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry is not only one of the most important industries in our state and even our country—it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to share some under-recognized benefits of natural gas, debunk several pers…
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Ep45: Val DiGiorgio, Chairman, Republican Party of Pennsylvania
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With Pennsylvania at the epicenter of presidential politics, the state’s Republican Party Chairman, Val DiGiorgio, joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to lay out the political landscape heading into the 2019 and 2020 elections. Val shares how the GOP is ahead of the game in several ways and also identifies one area where …
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Ep44: Kirk Hallett, Founder & Director, the Joshua Group
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More than 20 years ago, Kirk Hallett had a successful career in construction equipment sales, but he was looking for something different. So he founded the Joshua Group, which gives kids in Harrisburg’s Allison Hill neighborhood a chance at the solid educational foundation that will help carry them through life. In this conversation with Commonweal…
