Former CEO of billion dollar company to speak at Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber event
Enterprising Chris Allison, ex-CEO of a billion-dollar technology firm, lives by a simple adage.
“I try to help at least one person every day,” said Allison, 53, of Ben Avon, now working in the Economics Department at Allegheny College as Entrepreneur in Residence.
“There's a management theory that people who progress the best through business are people that try to be as absolutely helpful as they possibly can to everybody,” said the former chairman of Tollgrade Communications Inc.
In his 30s, Allison helped Tollgrade grow from a firm started with $6 million from private investors to a publicly traded company worth billions of dollars.
Allison will talk about the ties between managing one's self and managing one's business on Feb. 10 at The Chadwick in McCandless.
Allison will present “Five Moments That Can Shape Your Life,” a talk on his own life-changing moments, at the annual meeting of the Pine-based Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber.
Allison met his wife, Jane, for example, after his late father insisted that Allison attend a bank party that Allison planned to skip.
“The crux of my talk is that there are five moments that affect how your whole life goes, and you're in control of maybe two of those,” Allison said.
“I talk to a lot chambers of commerce and Rotary groups,” said Allison, a graduate of Allegheny College in Meadville, where he now teaches entrepreneurship two days per week.
Allison also is the author of “You'll Manage: Lessons Learned from a Former CEO.”
Prospective members of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber are invited to hear Allison's talk at the chamber's annual meeting. A cocktail hour will precede a sit-down Parmesan chicken dinner and awards ceremony.
The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber serves businesses in 16 municipalities in Beaver, Allegheny and Butler counties. The headquarters is in Suite 100 at 5000 Brooktree Road in Pine.
“We're ‘rebranding' ourselves for 2015. We have a brand new web site,” said Megan Julius, director of marketing and events for the chamber.
“We've redone all of our membership packages to show why joining the chamber is really a good business decision,” Julius said.
A business with fewer than 50 employees can join the chamber for $315, Julius said.
“We're excellent networkers,” Julius said. “We like to think of ourselves as an information and resource center.”
“We're also a great provider of some signature community events,” she said. “Every year, we put on our neighborhood business expo. This year, it will be on March 31 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh — Cranberry.”
The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber also offers Connections, a series of networking sessions for people who want to expand their business contacts.
Connection sessions are available at 7:30 a.m. Tuesdays at the chamber's offices in Pine; 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Jergel's Rhythm Grille, 103 Slade Lane, Marshall; 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at the Cranberry Township Municipal Building, 2525 Rochester Road; 7:30 a.m. Thursdays at the La Quinta Inn & Suites, 4589 McKnight Road, Ross; and 7:30 a.m. Fridays at the Pour House, 4655 William Flinn Highway, Hampton.
People can register online to attend the chamber's annual meeting, set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at The Chadwick, 10545 Perry Highway McCandless. Tickets are $50 per person. Register at pghnorthchamber.com. For more information, call 724-934-9700.
Deborah Deasy is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-772-6369 or ddeasy@tribweb.com.
