Roger S. Ahlbrandt, Jr.

The mission of the Center for Industry Studies was shaped by the collaboration and friendship of Roger S. Ahlbrandt, Jr. (1941-1999) and Frank Giarratani, the Center´s founding Director.

Over the course of their careers, Ahlbrandt and Giarratani formed a set of core values related to their academic research. Their vision,jointly developed and mutually held, was that academic research can further scholarly disciplines while it helps to create educational opportunities for students and promote economic development. The concept of the Center for Industry Studies was born in the collaboration that Ahlbrandt and Giarratani enjoyed over a period of twenty years of working together at the University of Pittsburgh. The faculty members and students who comprise the Center for Industry Studies owe a debt of gratitude to Ahlbrandt, and a share of any beneficial impact that our work may have on our community should be recognized as part of Roger S. Ahlbrandt Jr.'s legacy.