Compared to four years ago, the Pittsburgh region is better positioned for growth and success in almost every way.

Four years ago, national site selection consultants said our lack of ready-to-go sites and buildings, particularly near the airport, was a "crisis" that was costing us thousands of jobs.

Today, we have new industrial parks in all 10 of our region's counties that are attracting new businesses and jobs. And more are on the way, thanks to $60 million that Gov. Ed Rendell committed in August for 19 business sites across the region. The Pennsylvania Economy League has projected that these sites will be home to more than 10,000 new jobs in the next decade.

Four years ago, we were just beginning to recognize that manufacturing was not only alive and well in the region, but that the technological advances at our universities and medical centers could converge to create the jobs of the future right here in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Today, we are seeing new jobs being created throughout the region in life sciences, information technology, electro-optics, advanced materials and other industries of the future. Major international firms such as Bayer and Phillips are making new investments here, and home-grown companies such as FedEx Ground, Medrad and Respironics are continuing to expand, along with such Inc 500 companies as Innovate E-Commerce in Oakland, Service Link in Aliquippa and Diamond Pharmacy Services in Indiana. More new start-ups are on the way, thanks to researchers at Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and other institutions that are creating the technologies that will drive tomorrow's economy.

Four years ago, leaders in southwestern Pennsylvania recognized that we needed to focus additional efforts on making this the kind of region that would attract and retain a diverse mix of talented young people.

Today, we have new urban housing, new riverfront parks and growing efforts to engage young people in government and civic affairs. And our public investments in brownfields, riverfronts, and recreational amenities are paying off with new private investments by companies such as Alcoa, Del Monte, Equitable Resources, Mellon Financial and PNC Financial Services Group, which will help create more jobs for more young people.

The world sees the progress. We're now winning competitions for major national and international events such as the 2005 Bassmaster Classic fishing tournament on our three rivers, the 2006 Major League Baseball All Star Game at our new baseball park, and dozens of conventions and trade shows at our new convention center (the world's largest green building), all of which will showcase our region to millions of people, helping attract additional investment, jobs and talent.

At the same time, we face challenges today that we did not face four years ago. One of our key strengths -- outstanding air service -- is being threatened by the bankruptcy of US Airways. But we've already attracted several new airlines, and the public and private sectors are working together to preserve or even improve nonstop air service both nationally and internationally.

Today we also face a serious challenge to the very core of our region because of the fiscal problems facing the City of Pittsburgh. The causes stretch back far more than four years ago, but a solution is needed now. If we don't pull together as a region and solve the crisis this year, it will overshadow everything else we've accomplished, and risk making us truly worse off than we were four years ago.

If we solve our current challenges, we will have all of the elements in place to ride the next wave of national economic growth, and to resume our historic role as a leader in the global economy.