Grove City College alumnus James L. Plante ’16 is one The Pittsburgh Business Times’ “30 Under 30” honorees.
The award recognizes young, dynamic leaders who are making massive impacts on their industries and communities and playing a big role in moving the Pittsburgh region‘s business landscape forward, according the regional business publication.
Plante joined Olympus Energy, a private oil and gas operator, as a public affairs advisor in 2018. In that role, he manages relationships with local and state elected officials and founded Olympus’ political action committee, which he chairs.
Prior to his current role, he spent three years working for U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and former Congressman Keith Rothfus. He was one of the youngest district directors in Congress in 2018, and was recognized by D.C.’s National Journal as a “Rising Star.” He is a recent graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh’s Leadership Development Initiative.
Plante, who earned a degree in Entrepreneurship with a minor in Political Science from Grove City College, credits his alma mater for his professional success.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the recognition of ‘30 Under 30’ from The Pittsburgh Business Times. Many thanks are in order, but I specifically want to thank Grove City College for the foundational values I built while studying there. The faculty, staff and lifelong friendships I made have been instrumental in the successes I’ve had post-graduation,” Plante said.
Dr. Michael Coulter, chair of the Political Science Department, was one of Plante’s mentors. “I'm not surprised that James' career is off to a great start. He was a strong student who worked hard and developed his abilities through active participation in extracurricular activities – including working on the Grove City College Journal of Law and Public Policy," he said.
Plante and his wife, fellow Grove City College graduate Aubrey (Hayes ’16) Plante, live in Sewickley, Pa.