In Monday’s (7/8) Pittsburgh Tribune-Record, Bill Zlatos reports, “Michele and Pat Atkins of Point Breeze [Pa.] were impressed two years ago when Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians agreed to a 9.7 percent pay cut in the first two years of their contract. They were inspired when the musicians presented $199,000 checks in 2011 and 2012 to help keep the symphony competitive with other orchestras. On Monday, the couple demonstrated their gratitude by announcing a three-year gift of $1.2 million to the symphony to help pay for salary increases in the musicians’ new contract … Pat Atkins, 71, said the gift represents the equivalent of one year of the pay cut. ‘We were moved by the actions taken by the symphony members when the times got tough,’ he said. ‘They bent and said, ‘We want to make a difference.’ ” Pat Atkins is “the retired director of environmental affairs for Alcoa Inc. and operating partner with Pegasus Capital Advisors, a private equity firm in New York City. The couple donated to the symphony before, though not at this level … ‘This gift is one very important step as we strive to reach a repeatable balanced budget by 2015, and we are sincerely appreciative,’ said James A. Wilkinson, symphony president and CEO.”
Posted July 9, 2013