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I was at Mike Schmidt's wine-tasting

IT WAS IN MARCH THAT I first reported for the Philadelphia Business Journal that Mike Schmidt, one of the most celebrated third basemen in baseball history and easily one of the most iconic Philadelphia sports heroes, was launching a charity wine: a Zinfandel.

Now, I may have thought it a little funny, if only because two worlds seemed to collide, and when I went to the product’s first wine tasting for media yesterday, it may have seemed a little sillier still when I took a freight elevator to the basement and wandered passed the Citizens Bank Park groundskeepers in pursuit of the tasting. But, to be fair, as we all know, Schmidt is putting his name on the line to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis research.

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SCA Americas celebrates Earth Day with Philadelphia schools

As filed – without editing – last week for yesterday’s edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal.

SCA Americas has gone green with its educational advocacy.

The Swedish consumer goods and paper company with U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia celebrated Earth Day last week by donating a book with a message to elementary schools in Philadelphia.

“For SCA, sustainability goes beyond environmentalism,” said Amy Bellcourt, vice president of communications for SCA Americas. “It goes to creating sustainability communities.”

The company donated 10 copies of “Earth Day Hooray” by Stuart J. Murphy to each of Philadelphia’s 170 public elementary schools, some of which were visited by SCA employees on April 21.

“This is a great opportunity to learn how to make stronger environments where they live,” she said.

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Janet DeArmond: demoted to the top of Customer Service Review

As filed – without edits – last week for today’s edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal.

IN 1999, JANET DeARMOND FOUNDED Customer Service Review Inc., a consulting firm specializing in customer service training in Wayne. Somewhere after spending 14 years as the company’s president, she left.

She’s back.

“There was an opportunity. I know the company. I love it. Probably the most engaging years of my career i spent here,” DeArmond said. “I know the clients. I know the business.  I really missed it.”

So after to attend to personal obligations, Liz French, the company’s current president and CEO, who was a vice president under Dearmond, brought her back into the fold.

“I’ve always stayed in contact with Liz. We both have a lot of respect for each other,” she said. “There are no strong egos here.”

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George Washington made president 219 years ago today

ON THIS DAY, April 30, in 1789, George Washington took the oath of office to become the first President of the young United States of America. On the matter, Washington wrote James Madison the following:

As the first of every thing, in our situation will serve to establish a Precedent. It is devoutly wished on my part, that these precedents may be fixed on true principles.”

Peep how the inauguration was portrayed by the TV miniseries John Adams.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L2o9mx5SCs]

My post-graduate plans resolved… for now

Update: Read a review of my PLCA internship experience here.

IT WAS EARLY MARCH that I applied for a summer internship covering the Harrisburg, Pa. statehouse for a handful of urban dailies.

The internship is with the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents’ Association*, the oldest continuously operating journalism society in the country.

Well, after an interview in Harrisburg three weeks ago, I am happy to report that I was offered the gig on Monday and accepted it yesterday.

It is a 12-week program paying $500 a week. Interns spend two- or three-week rotations writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer (350,000 circulation) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (214,000 circulation) Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa., 109,000 circulation)) and The Patriot-News in Harrisburg.

It is an opportunity to cover and learn a great deal about the state government, while not facing the permanence I am not convinced I should undertake at my young age and in my relatively privileged state. So, come September I will be free to do some traveling, after proving to a potential employer that I was able to get a position right after graduation.

Indeed, this has been a week of big announcements, starting with my being named Temple’s commencement speaker here in the last week of my college career.

*Amended 9/6/08 4:32 P.M.

Our promise to Lacey: Lacey Gallagher remembered one year later

As filed – without edits – for last Friday’s edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal.

IT IS DISTURBING JUST HOW often you think you have heard the story.

How an 18-year-old finds a drive after the prom to be her last.

Last year Lacey Gallagher was a senior at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, at Lycoming Street and 10th near Hunting Park.

She died one year ago Monday. And it was hard. But, Lacey’s parents wanted to find good out of tragedy. People on the1600-block of East Eyre Street in Fishtown find good out of tragedy. They implored support for Pennsylvania House Bill No. 163, which would increase the phased licensing of young drivers in Pennsylvania. They raised awareness of the dangers of teenage drivers, particularly during late night drives in crowded cars on prom night.

The family wanted a more permanent way to keep Lacey’s memory alive, so they have launched a scholarship fund and are in the process of establishing a nonprofit in Lacey’s name.

“It is about going on our own and establishing our own name,” said Denise Gallagher, Lacey’s mother. “We want this to last.”

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Chet Zoltak: the human resources feel eight hours closer to home

As filed – without edits – for today’s edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Chet Zoltak has taken on another time committment after the workday and still can’t believe he’s at his Philadelpia home so much.

Zoltak, minted as president of the Philadelphia Human Resources Planning Society in November, spent 2005 commuting to a job as global leader of learning and talent development for the Timken Co., a friction management and power transmission manufacturer in Canton, Ohio.

“Two weeks there, one week here,” he said. “Sometimes I’d jump on a plane. Sometimes I’d drive… 7 1/2 hours.”

He took the position in late 2004 after operating his own consulting firm in the region, after being contacted by a headhunter.

“It was an opportunity to build a new function, which is something I love to do,” he said.

But midway through 2005 the commuting drained him and he and his wife wouldn’t move. So, it came as no surprise when, in January 2006, he took the position of corporate director of organization development for the AmerisourceBergen Corp., a pharmaceutical company in Valley Forge.

“I am developing key leaders,” he said. “It’s talent acquisition and management.”

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Political endorsements don't mean 'jack'

Two days after Sen. Hillary Clinton completed an impressive victory over Sen. Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary, and Gov. Ed Rendell’s endorsement of Clinton is seeming successful.

Of course, Rendell is one of the quickest to tell you political endorsements don’t matter, as he told the Colbert Nation during an interview on the Colbert Report last week, as he told Karen Tumulty of Time magazine earlier this month.

I don’t think any endorsement for President means jack.”

In the Time profile, Rendell’s influence was largely attributed to his ability to politically navigate for Clinton, including his former stomping grounds and bastion of Democratic votes, Philadelphia, not his endorsement of Clinton.

Lower profile candidates can earn attention by bringing out celebrities or well-known politics, unquestionably important, but for races that involve household names like “Clinton,” it’s less clear.

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Fumo candidate beats out Johnny Doc, affecting the Republican

Clearly, I overestimated the influence of Johnny Dougherty and underestimated Vince Fumo-backed Larry Farnese.

In yesterday’s primary, not only did Hillary squeak with a victory, but Farnese beat Dougherty in what, I can admit, was a surprise to me and it seems others, too.

Fumo showed the love he has for Dougherty, as suggested by the story by the Daily News:

Fumo and City Councilman Frank DiCicco, who have feuded with Dougherty for years, led a small crowd of supporters chanting, “Doc is dead, Doc is dead,” at Farnese’s victory celebration at the Paradiso restaurant on Passyunk Avenue.

Dougherty “finally put himself on the line against someone who nobody knew and he got his ass kicked,” Fumo told a reporter. “What else can you ask for?”

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