Smart Growth Executive Director Alex Graziani Wins Entrepreneur Award

Pennsylvania Business Central has announced that Alexander J. Graziani, the executive director of the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County, has won a 2007 Entrepreneur Award in the government/economic development category.

Smart Growth, based at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, is a non-profit, non-governmental community group that deals with quality and growth issues. Smart Growth encourages interaction among municipalities, planners, townships, developers, and local and state agencies.

Graziani has a bachelor's degree in political science, a master's degree in public policy and management. He serves on the Pennsylvania State Planning Board, is an associate director of the Westmoreland County Conservation District, is on the board of directors of the Greensburg Hempfield Library, is a member of the Westmoreland County Public Participation Panel for transportation planning, and is an active member of the Greensburg Alliance Church.

He points to the Route 30 Master Plan as Smart Growth's biggest accomplishment, because it involves land use, maintenance, access, and planned development to avoid congestion. 'We're taking the lead ' with the state,  PennDOT, developers, local  and county (agencies) ' doing this study,' Graziani said during the nomination process for the Entrepreneur Award. 'We're all in a 'big tent,' talking about a common approach to land use, infrastructure, improved access, and a higher level of intra-governmental cooperation.'

For more information about Smart Growth, visit www.smartgrowthpa.org.