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WHEREAS, After twelve years of dedicated service to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Dr. Mulugetta Birru, is leaving the City of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Since 1992 Dr. Mulugetta Birru has been the Executive Director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, a quasi-funded public agency created to fight urban blight through redevelopment activities; and
WHEREAS, from 1997 to 2000, Dr. Mulugetta Birru was the Director of the Allegheny County's Department of Economic Development, an agency created by the Board of County Commissioners in 1996 for the purpose of planning and implementing programs to create jobs, expand the tax base and improve the quality of life in Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, since 1995, Dr. Mulugetta Birru has been the President of the Pittsburgh Economic & Industrial Development Corporation, a real estate financing and development entity of the URA; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Mulugetta Birru spearheaded an excess of $4 billion worth of projects. These projects include the conversion of six million acres of Brownfield sites into various developments, the financing for four million sq. ft. of retail developments and several thousand housing developments an excess of 3,000 affordable and market-rate housing developments; and
WHEREAS, Since 1995 Dr. Mulugetta Birru has been the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Housing Development Corporation, a housing development affiliate of the URA. He also is an Adjunct Professor at H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management since 1993, teaching two graduate courses entitled Financing Community Development I & II; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Mulugetta Birru has earned a BA in Manage/Accounting from Addis Abbab University, an MBA (Finance) and an MA (Economics) both from Syracuse University, and a Ph.D. in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
WHEREAS, Dr. Mulugetta Birru is married to Elizabeth Birru, and has three daughters Elizabeth Birru, Marrette Birru and Rahel Birru.
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby recognizes and commends Dr. Mulugetta Birru for his many contributions in Urban Redevelopment to the City of Pittsburgh.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council in the City of Pittsburgh declare, Tuesday, June 29th, "Dr. Mulugetta Birru Day" in the City of Pittsburgh. We wish you well.