First Advantage Investigative Services has moved into a 2,000 square-foot 5th floor suite of The Liberty Bank Building at 6101 Penn Avenue.
Part of a national conglomerate, First Advantage (FA) is a licensed private investigation firm specializing in backtrack reports for a variety of financial industry clients. The East Liberty location is the company’s first satellite office in Pittsburgh.
“We are happy to come to Pittsburgh. There are people growing up here who would like to stay here to work, and we offer a type of job not appearing in the market here right now,” says Ben Schmich, manager of FA’s Pittsburgh office and Pittsburgh resident.
“Rather than expand in Manhattan, we found a space that is relatively inexpensive, in an appealing, convenient location where we already had employees working from home. We like having a base here."
Casey Kahl, vp of operations and a Squirrel Hill native notes that they hope to grow the Pittsburgh office quickly. "The applicant pool was tremendous. Our corporate headquarters in Florida are thrilled with our decision," she says. "The neighborhood is on the brink of something great. We love the new space."
Schmich, who says the change in East Liberty is impressive, adds, "We like the idea of continuing and encouraging development here, and it benefits us,” says Schmich.
Liberty Bank Building tenants include East Liberty Development, Inc., a medical group, salon, architecture firm, and scooter store.
Writer: Jennifer Baron
Source: Ben Schmich, First Advantage
Photograph copyright © Jonathan Greene