Bill Strickland — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Award (1996)
Founder of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild as an undergraduate
Former President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation for 50 years
Author of "Make the Impossible Possible" (2007)
Served on the board of the National Endowment for the Arts
Graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 1970

Biography

William E. Strickland, born August 25, 1947, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an American community leader and author. He is recognized for his work as the former President and CEO of the non-profit Manchester Bidwell Corporation, based in Pittsburgh. The organization's subsidiaries, the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and Bidwell Training Center, engage disadvantaged and at-risk youth through the arts and provide job training for adults.