Celebrate the launch of Dick Roberts' collection of memories from 51 famous and beloved Pittsburghers with Riverstone Books!
In Growing Up Yinzer Dick Roberts presents 51 profiles, interviews and memories from a collection of the most famous and adored Pittsburghers.
In the Steel City, “Yinzer” is a term of endearment, reserved for the city’s most beloved and embraced by locals as a symbol of the grit and determination that Pittsburgh endows anyone from there. The city’s undeniable impact on the character and life of those who grew up in Western Pennsylvania has shaped iconic figures of American sports, entertainment and culture. Legends of the gridiron such as Jim Kelly, Tony Dorsett, Dan Marino and Joe Namath forged their football prowess in Western Pennsylvania. Business pioneers including Mark Cuban, Ray Werner and Bill Strickland were ingrained with the value of hard work in the Steel City. Music and movie stars like Jeff Goldblum, George Benson and Billy Gardell found creative inspiration in Pittsburgh that led to new heights.
For Dick Roberts, TV news was a childhood obsession. Growing up near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his favorite TV shows were newscasts. This interest in local and national news evolved into a passion for storytelling, public relations and corporate communications. Beginning his career as an entertainment promoter with Dick Clark Concerts, he became a trusted adviser and strategic communications professional with the J. Walter Thompson Company and later his namesake firm, Roberts Communications USA. Roberts serves as an instructor of advertising, public relations and digital media in the Rowland School of Business at Point Park University.
Rob Rogers is an award-winning freelance editorial cartoonist living in Pittsburgh. His cartoons have been vexing and entertaining readers since 1984. In 1993, he was hired by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Rogers’ work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today, among many others. In 2009, Rogers celebrated 25 years as a Pittsburgh editorial cartoonist with the release of his book, No Cartoon Left Behind. His graphic memoir Enemy of the People: A Cartoonist’s Journey, tells the story of how, after 25 years on staff at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rogers was fired for drawing cartoons critical of President Trump. Rogers was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in both 1999 and 2019.