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Pittsburgh Tech Council Members Shine with Innovative Solutions and Recognition for Industry Excellence

The Pittsburgh Technology Council’s members are proving why the region remains a hub for cutting-edge advancements and impactful achievements.

From leveraging AI to revolutionize financial operations to receiving prestigious safety awards and shaping the future of chemical sterilization, local organizations are making headlines. Schneider Downs Digital has launched LumenFI, an AI-powered platform designed to transform financial decision-making, while Butler County-based Etzel Engineer & Build earned the Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence. Additionally, ChemDAQ introduced a leading education initiative to help healthcare professionals meet updated sterilization standards. And Industrial Scientific made a key acquisition.

These milestones demonstrate the ingenuity and leadership of Pittsburgh’s tech and innovation community.

Schneider Downs Digital Launches LumenFI, an AI-Powered Platform Transforming Finance Operations

Schneider Downs Digital (SD Digital) introduces LumenFI, an AI-driven finance companion designed to provide real-time, secure financial insights for organizations. The platform aims to make financial data clearer, more actionable and governed for finance teams.

Powered by generative AI and advanced machine learning, LumenFI delivers accurate data and continuously improves by observing and learning how finance professionals work. The platform is built to learn and adapt, offering tailored insights based on user activity.

“SD Digital is excited to introduce a solution that helps finance and accounting teams drive stronger performance,” said John Huckle, Chief Digital Innovator at SD Digital. “With generative AI, LumenFI reduces the time between insight and action from weeks to seconds, safely democratizing finance data and removing the need for ad-hoc reporting.”

LumenFI operates as a virtual AI finance team, featuring dedicated roles for accounts payable, accounts receivable, revenue, and orchestration. Each role is designed to strengthen key finance functions and adapt to user prompts and preferences, delivering insights that reflect organizational priorities.

By combining generative AI with machine learning, the platform grows smarter with every interaction, providing chief financial officers and financial executives with immediate answers and the confidence to make decisions in real time. For more information, contact SD Digital at contact@sddigital.com or visit www.lumenfi.com.

Etzel Engineer & Build Receives Governor’s Award for Safety Excellence

Etzel Engineer & Build was recently recognized with a 2025 Governor's Award for Safety Excellence (GASE) by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. The award was presented on November 21, 2025, for the company's exceptional commitment to workplace safety and injury prevention. 

Etzel, a Butler County-based general contractor, was one of four Pennsylvania employers to receive the 2025 award. The company was specifically lauded for its strong safety culture, proactive risk management, and deep employee engagement. 

Key safety initiatives and practices highlighted by the state included:

  • Using 3D project mapping to identify and reduce risks during the pre-operational planning phase.
  • Implementing "Twiceme" hard hats that can be scanned with a phone to access personal and medical information in case of an emergency.
  • Fostering strong employee participation through a certified workplace safety committee that has passed multiple state audits.
  • Maintaining a deeply rooted behavior-based safety system that reinforces consistent safety habits and contributes to low employee turnover. 

L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker visited the company's Saxonburg location to present the award, citing Etzel's practices as a model for other construction firms across the Commonwealth.

New Continuing Education Course Empowers Sterile Processing Professionals to Achieve AAMI ST58 Compliance 

ChemDAQ, Inc., a global leader in workplace gas monitoring and chemical safety, is proud to announce the launch of a new continuing education course: “Clearing the Air: Achieving AAMI Compliance for Chemical Sterilization.” This 45-minute course offers one continuing education (CE) credit and provides sterile processing and healthcare professionals with essential knowledge and strategies to meet the updated AAMI ST58 (2024) standard. 

This educational session helps participants navigate the evolving landscape of chemical sterilization and high-level disinfection in hospital sterile processing departments. The course explores the evolution from the now-retired AAMI ST41 to ST58, highlighting how the updated standard expands guidance on chemical sterilants and high-level disinfectants, including hydrogen peroxide (H?O?) and peracetic acid (PAA). 

By completing this course, attendees will learn to: 

  • Define AAMI ST58 and understand its expanded scope. 

  • Explain the rationale behind changes to the standard and its impact on staff safety and compliance. 

  • Identify chemical sterilants and high-level disinfectants, and their associated exposure risks. 

  • Apply best practices for facility design, ventilation, personal protective equipment (PPE), and chemical monitoring. 

  • Implement real-time monitoring and training strategies to reduce chemical exposure risks. 

Why This Course Matters: 
As chemical sterilants play an increasingly vital role in sterile processing and other healthcare environments, understanding and applying the latest safety and compliance requirements is crucial. Implementing AAMI ST58 recommendations enhances staff safety, regulatory adherence, and workflow efficiency, while fostering a proactive safety culture that prevents adverse exposure incidents and downtime. 

“At ChemDAQ, we applaud the technical committee that put forth tremendous effort in updating AAMI ST58 and the spirit of staff safety that is woven throughout the standard,” said Alex Hilliker, Executive Vice President. “The latest standard gives healthcare professionals the framework they need to handle chemical sterilants and high-level disinfectants safely. This course operationalizes that framework to help teams stay compliant and protect the people that are so critical to patient safety and hospital efficiency.” 

This CE course reflects ChemDAQ’s ongoing commitment to advancing chemical safety through education, innovation, and real-time monitoring technology. 

For more information, visit www.chemdaq.com. 

Industrial Scientific Acquires Aeroqual 

Industrial Scientific, a division of Fortive Corporation, dedicated to ending death on the job, announced today it has acquired Aeroqual, a leader in real-time environmental monitoring, headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand.  

This is a strategic move that accelerates Industrial Scientific’s worker safety vision and bolsters its portfolio of safety sensing technology offerings.   

“For more than 40 years, our mission has been to end death on the job,” said Andreas Schmid, president at Industrial Scientific.“The addition of Aeroqual’s expertise in real-time air quality monitoring is a natural extension of that mission. Together, we will provide customers with integrated tools and insights that make safety more seamless and deeply embedded in their workflows. This acquisition reflects our commitment to innovation--both through organic development and strategic partnerships. Together, we’re building a future where every worker returns home safely.”  

Aeroqual is a global leader in real-time environmental monitoring hardware and software solutions, providing its customers with highly-accurate data gathering, deep reporting and analysis, and industry-leading service. The Aeroqual team is consistently recognized for its deep industry knowledge and long-standing relationships with customers – attributes that align perfectly with Industrial Scientific’s long-term growth strategy. 

Incentrum Group served as financial advisor to Aeroqual throughout the process.