Philly Power Moves: David Oh is the new president and CEO of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce

What a difference two months and the turn of the calendar makes.

Since we last published this column, Cherelle Parker started her new role as mayor and appointed several director-level leaders in her administration. Her election opponent, David Oh, also landed a new role, and a bunch of other companies and organizations appointed new leaders.

Here’s who else is making Power Moves in Philadelphia’s tech and business community:

David Oh has a new executive role

The Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia announced that former mayoral candidate David Oh would be the new president and CEO of the business organization. He started his new position this week.

Oh previously served three terms as an at-large Philadelphia City Council member. The Philly native started his career as a lawyer, working as an assistant district attorney in the city’s DA office and managing his own law firm for 18 years. He is also a veteran, previously serving as a second lieutenant in the US Army.

The Asian American Chamber is focused on attracting, retaining and providing connections between Asian American-owned businesses with the rest of the business community in Philadelphia.

What might his leadership style be? Take a hint from Oh’s response to our questionnaire during his mayoral campaign:

“The role of the chief executive [is] getting the very best from the workforce by providing a clear vision with widespread support of a better future for all, and specific goals to achieve the mission within the timeframe set,” Oh told Technical.ly.

Sarah Steltz rejoins UCD as SVP of strategy

The University City District (UCD), an economic development nonprofit that operates in West Philadelphia between 50th Street and the Schuylkill River, announced that Sarah Steltz would be the organization’s new SVP of strategy. Steltz previously worked at UCD for three years as VP of workforce solutions and eventually executive director of the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative.

Steltz left UCD in 2021 to become deputy director and chief of staff for the City of Philadelphia’s Commerce Department. Most recently, she was the VP of economic competitiveness for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.

“Sarah is widely respected across Philadelphia for her depth of expertise in economic development and her ability to build enduring collaborations to tackle key civic issues,” UCD President Matt Bergheiser said in a statement. “She will help lift our work to higher levels of impact in this exciting new role.”

Penn appoints its first chief innovation officer

John Swartley. (Courtesy PCI)

The University of Pennsylvania appointed John Swartley as its first chief innovation officer. Penn Center for Innovation also appointed Benjamin Dibling as associate vice provost for research and managing director of PCI.

PCI helps members of the Penn community turn their technology and innovation ideas into successful products and businesses.

Swartley was previously PCI’s associate vice provost for research and managing director of PCI, but was promoted to work with university leaders and external partners to continue promoting technology development and commercialization at Penn. Dibling was previously deputy managing director of PCI.

“I’m looking forward to working with stakeholders across the University to further expand and capitalize on our already robust innovation portfolio,” Swartley said in a statement. “It has been a true privilege and honor working with the amazing team at PCI, and am extraordinarily pleased to know that Ben Dibling has been chosen to take over as Managing Director.”

More Power Moves:

• Prema Katari Gupta is the new president and CEO of the Center City District, replacing longtime leader Paul Levy.
• Mayor Cherelle Parker appointed a bunch of new City leaders. These roles include Alba Martinez as the commerce director, Debora Carrera as the chief education officer, Sharon C. Ward as deputy chief education officer, Jazelle Jones as city representative and director of special events, Kristin Del Rossi as streets commissioner and Crystal Jacobs Shipman as sanitation commissioner.
• South Korea-based medtech company InBody opened its first East Coast office in Audubon.
• Maryam Abdel-Azim from Doylestown and Gavriela Beatrice Kalish-Schur from Philadelphia were both chosen as 2024 finalists for the Society for Science’s Regeneron Science Talent Search.
• CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia announced that Ariel Shelton and Melinda Steffy would be the organization’s new co-executive directors.
• Wellness technology company HUSK announced that Erin Markowski would be its new president and COO.
• Professional development nonprofit Leadership Philadelphia announced that Liz Dow was stepping down from her role as CEO and Jan Shaeffer would take over her position.
• Power Home Remodeling was ranked #73 on Glassdoor’s 2024 Best Places to Work. The company also recently appointed Marc Sule as chief business technology officer and Kevin Wiggins as chief financial officer.
• Tax tech company Vertex announced three new executives on its team: Mindy Cunningham as SVP of customer success and services, Jessica Nowlin as VP of tax research and Angela Travagline as VP of global talent and organizational effectiveness.
• Biomedical research organization The Wistar Institute appointed Aleister Saunders and Patrick Oates to its board of trustees.
• Rob Thomas is the new VP of technology instruction at tech workforce development program Launchpad.
• Penn Engineering welcomed the first class of its Entrepreneurship Fellows Program. The cohort will go through a year-long program focused on engineering entrepreneurship.
• The Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System Board of Trustees appointed Timothy Reese as its secretary.
• Data security and cybersecurity consulting company Zaviant is participating in the Open Loop program. This Meta program develops policy recommendations about AI and technology.
• Rose Ritts is leaving her role as executive VP and chief innovation officer at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. She is taking on a new role at the investment firm Black Venture Capital Consortium, reported the Business Journal.