Community

Ron Alvarado, President of Novus Group, proudly served for 8 years on the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board (PA WIB), the Governor’s principal private sector policy advisor on workforce development issues. He was initially appointed to the WIB by Governor Edward G. Rendell and was reappointed by Governor Tom Corbett.

During the height of the “Great Recession” Novus spearheaded a Training Program specifically targeting the Long-Term Unemployed. The program was a collaborative effort with local Mortgage/Settlement Services companies, the PA Department of Labor, the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). 100% of the students who participated in the program were placed in positions which offered family-sustaining wages and career opportunities.

Novus Group has been an active member of the Professional Advisory Committee of the Pittsburgh Disability Employment Project for Freedom, whose work focuses on providing job training and employment for people with disabilities.

Novus President Ron Alvarado is the recipient of the 2013 Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) Vanguard Diversity Award. The award acknowledges an individual’s efforts in diversifying the regional workforce and championing inclusion initiatives to increase employment opportunities for underrepresented populations.

In 2014, Alvarado chaired the “¡Hola Pittsburgh!” Latino Attraction Initiative, a partnership of government, business and nonprofit organizations which seek to improve the diversity and inclusiveness of the Pittsburgh region to help sustain its population, economic prosperity and quality of life.

In 2015, Mr. Alvarado was honored with the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Hispanic Attorneys Committee “El Sol Award” which recognizes his civic involvement and work in helping to make Pittsburgh America’s Most Livable City for all of its residents.

In 2016, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Mr. Alvarado as the recipient of the 2016 NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award.

Mr. Alvarado served as the Chairman of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 2013 to 2018. In addition to helping develop, promote and advocate on behalf of Hispanic businesses and professionals in the Pittsburgh region, he spearheaded the chamber’s scholarship Fund which has awarded (from 2011 to 2017) 97 scholarships totaling $141,000.

He also serves on the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement Advisory Board. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has helped to transform a downtrodden section of Downtown into a world-class Cultural District that stands as a national model of urban revitalization through the arts.

Novus graciously supports and Mr. Alvarado proudly serves on the Board of Trustees of the Brother’s Brother Foundation (BBF). BBF began in 1958 as a dream of a few to help the many around the world who lack good healthcare, education and nutrition. From the beginning its founder and leading spirit, Robert A. Hingson, M.D., urged that BBF’s resources be shared with local counterpart organizations in developing countries that shared the common desire to help those in need.

In the following 60 years, BBF has helped people in 149 countries, working through and in partnership with local agencies that want to help their own people. Included in this partnership are local institutions such as hospitals and universities, healthcare, education and other services, local religious organizations, rotary clubs, professional societies, and many others. Together with partners in the United States and other more affluent countries, BBF has provided over $4 Billion in goods and services that includes 107,000 tons of medical supplies, text books, seeds, and food that have touched many tens of millions with better health, education, nutrition, material security, and hope.