17 SEP 2026 · For four decades, Doug Heuck has had a front-row seat to Pittsburgh’s transformation. Now, he’s working to help shape what comes next.
Doug is the founder and CEO of Pittsburgh Tomorrow, a nonprofit created with an ambitious mission: reverse the region’s population decline, strengthen its economy and make Pittsburgh one of the most welcoming places in America.
Before launching Pittsburgh Tomorrow, Doug built a career telling Pittsburgh’s story. He spent years as an investigative reporter and business editor at The Pittsburgh Press and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette before founding Pittsburgh Quarterly, where he continues to serve as editor and publisher.
His journalism has taken him everywhere from the streets of Pittsburgh—where he once went undercover to report on homelessness—to an extensive interview with polio vaccine pioneer Dr. Jonas Salk. Along the way, Doug became deeply interested not only in where Pittsburgh has been, but where the region is headed.
Today, he’s moved from chronicling Pittsburgh’s challenges to taking them on.In this episode of CEO You Should Know, Doug talks about why Pittsburgh captured him after what was supposed to be a 12-week internship, what decades of reporting taught him about the region, why population loss may be one of Pittsburgh’s biggest challenges, and the ideas behind Pittsburgh Tomorrow.
It’s a conversation about journalism, leadership, civic pride—and a big question facing all of us who call Western Pennsylvania home:What will it take to build the Pittsburgh of tomorrow?