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Pennsylvania steels itself for a green revolution

Pennsylvania is well known as the birthplace of America, but did you know that it has also been at the forefront of every energy revolution in the world? From coal and oil to hydrofracking and solar power, we’ll look at how the state’s historic legacy has impacted its ability to transition to a greener tomorrow.
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In this week’s episode, host Jay Tipton kicks off his national tour in Pennsylvania, the birthplace of our nation. Here at the epicenter of a political divide between old and new energy sources, Jay speaks to historian Tom Foley about how closely linked the state’s identity is to the coal and oil industries. As he’ll come to find out, Pennsylvania has undergone several transitions in the past, each one serving the greater good of both the state’s citizens and the environment.

For many Pennsylvanians, heritage is a huge source of pride, especially given the amount of family ties back to the coal, oil, and steel manufacturing industries. In order to see how green initiatives are affecting workers, Jay speaks with Tim Shippey, a union carpenter and bridge welder, about his most recent job completing a solar panel installation atop the same steel mill that employed his father.

Next, Jay takes a closer look at entry level opportunities by talking to Ronn Cort, President & COO of Sekisui Kydex, a manufacturer of recyclable thermoplastics. Not only has Ronn’s company reimagined plastic as a renewable material, but he has also laid the foundation to instill purpose in his workers, breathing new life (and new talent) into the world of manufacturing.

Before leaving PA, Jay chats with Walt Yakabowsky about the training programs available to both old and new workers looking to acquire green skills – and how much money they can expect to earn in their new lines of work. Finally, Jay connects with Philadelphia’s Chief Resilience Officer, Saleem Chapman, to discuss how Pennsylvanians of all backgrounds can promote equity by coming together in the large-scale effort needed to ready the state for climate change.

CREDITS:
Featuring: Jay Tipton, Tom Foley, Tim Sippey, Paula DiPerna, Ronn Cort, Walt Yakabowsky, Saleem Chapman
Producer by: Alicia Clark
Executive Producers: Melissa Panzer, Joan Lynch, Art Bilger
Written by: Jay Tipton, Alicia Clark, Mike Zunic
Editing and Sound Mixing by: Lynz Floren
Music by: Avocado Junkie
Made possible by: the Walton Family Foundation
Check out all the other podcasts here: Work Green, Earn Green

Dana Beth Ardi

Executive Committee

Dana Beth Ardi, PhD, Executive Committee, is a thought leader and expert in the fields of executive search, talent management, organizational design, assessment, leadership and coaching. As an innovator in the human capital movement, Ardi creates enhanced value in companies by matching the most sought after talent with the best opportunities. Ardi coaches boards and investors on the art and science of building high caliber management teams. She provides them with the necessary skills to seek out and attract top-level management, to design the ideal organizational architectures and to deploy people against strategy. Ardi unearths the way a business works and the most effective way for people to work in them.

Ardi is an experienced business executive and senior consultant who leverages business organizational transformation through talent strategies. She uses her knowledge and experience to develop talent strategies to enhance revenue and profit contributions. She has a deep expertise in change management and organizational effectiveness and has designed and built high performance cultures. Ardi has significant experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, IPO’s and turnarounds.

Ardi is an expert on the multi-generational workforce. She understands the four intersecting generations of workers coming together in contemporary companies, each with their own mindsets, leadership and communications styles, values and motivations. Ardi is sought after to assist companies manage and thrive by bringing the generations together. Her book, Fall of the Alphas: How Beta Leaders Win Through Connection, Collaboration and Influence, will be published by St. Martin’s Press. The book reflects Ardi’s deep expertise in understanding organizations and our changing society. It focuses on building a winning culture, how companies must grow and evolve, and how talent influences and shapes communities of work. This is what she has coined “Corporate Anthropology.” It is a playbook on how modern companies must meet challenges – culturally, globally, digitally, across genders and generations.

Ardi is currently the Managing Director and Founder of Corporate Anthropology Advisors, LLC, a consulting company that provides human capital advisory and innovative solutions to companies building value through people. Corporate Anthropology works with organizations, their cultures, the way they grow and develop, and the people who are responsible for forming their communities of work.

Prior to her position at Corporate Anthropology Advisors, Ardi served as a Partner/Managing Director at the private equity firms CCMP Capital and JPMorgan Partners. She was a partner at Flatiron Partners, a venture capital firm working with early state companies where she pioneered the human capital role within an investment portfolio.

Ardi holds a BS from the State University of New York at Buffalo as well as a Masters degree and PhD from Boston College. She started her career as professor at the Graduate Center at Fordham University in New York.