Kyra Straussman

President & CEO

Kyra Straussman developed and initiated Cool Space Locator in 1999 as a project for the South Side Local Development Company (SSLDC) in Pittsburgh, PA.  A graduate of the University of Colorado, Ms. Straussman began her career in arts administration in Washington, DC and Pittsburgh.  She was also a feature writer for alternative newsweeklies in Pittsburgh and Louisville, KY, writing about art, politics and civic development and design.  In 1992 she started a for-profit consulting firm that specialized in developing new product research and development.  Ms. Straussman has been in executive positions in four non-profit organizations, including terms as executive director of two organizations.  She left the SSLDC to begin working full-time for Cool Space Locator in September 2002. 

Ms. Straussman is a licensed real estate salesperson in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is licensed as an Economic Development Finance Professional by the National Development Council.  She is a January 2006 appointee of Mayor Bob O’Connor to the City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission, on which she still serves.

Sean Capperis

Special Projects Manager

Sean Capperis came to Cool Space Locator as an intern in June 2006 to complete research and editing for the Cool Deals report. In December 2006, he was promoted to Special Projects Manager to develop the Cool Space in a Box program. Previously, Sean coordinated outreach and marketing communications activities at the Lawrenceville Corporation and the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh. He is a 2006 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in urban studies and English writing. He has also completed additional coursework in real estate practice. Sean is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and is an award-winning writer and ad designer. Originally hailing from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, he now lives in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood.

Bill Barron

Broker of Record

William Barron serves as the Broker of Record for Cool Space Locator and owns Barron Commercial Real Estate, a full service real estate company transacting acquisitions, sales and leases of commercial property as well as engaging in the development of commercial and residential properties in city neighborhoods.  Bill has over 20 years of practice as a full time real estate broker (currently licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania); his experience includes millions of square feet in lease and sales transactions.

From 1981 to 1988 Bill was a commercial leasing and sales agent in Denver Colorado, first for L.C. Fulenwider, Inc. where his focus was on office buildings and retail centers, and later for Industrial Realty Corporation where he specialized in warehouse and manufacturing space.  Moving to Pittsburgh in the fall of 1988 he spent two years as the Director of Leasing for Chatham Center, a hotel, apartment and office complex.  From 1992 to 1997 he was a broker associate with Beynon & Company.

His education includes undergraduate study in design, business and literature at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY (1970-72), Regis College in Denver, CO (1985-87) and the University of Pittsburgh (1992-93).  Bill has served on the board of the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh from 1995 through 2001 and was its president from January of 1999 through June of 2001.  He was also board member of Cool Space Locator from 2001 to 2003.  He participated in the initial organizing of Pedal Pittsburgh, a city-wide bicycling event, and is currently serving as a member of Pittsburgh’s Historic Review Commission.