45 Years at PIDC: Maryann McCann’s Front-Row Seat to Philadelphia’s Growth

by Rachel Hazzard
September 14, 2026

For 45 years, Maryann McCann has had a front-row seat to Philadelphia’s transformation.

Born and raised in the city’s Grays Ferry neighborhood, McCann has spent her entire career at PIDC, starting in 1981 as a secretary and working her way through a variety of roles before becoming a GIS Administrator. Along the way, she has worked on some of Philadelphia’s most significant development projects, learned new technologies and skills, and watched both PIDC and the city change around her, all from a desk overlooking City Hall.

Through it all, one thing has remained constant: her connection to the city and her commitment to PIDC’s mission.

A Career That Grew With PIDC

When McCann started at PIDC, the workplace looked very different. There were no computers. No copy machines. No email. Her desk came equipped with a telephone and a Rolodex, and she remembers using a mimeograph machine and typing letters and meeting notes on a typewriter—eventually graduating to an electric typewriter. She jokes that she was very happy when computers finally arrived at PIDC.

McCann started out as a generalist, taking on whatever needed to be done. She worked in the Executive Department and Marketing, prepared reports, took meeting notes and conducted analysis for major projects across the city.

Her work eventually brought her into PIDC’s Real Estate department, where she discovered GIS. With the encouragement of then-Real Estate leader Paul Deegan, Maryann taught herself the tools and skills she needed to succeed.

Making Her Mark on Philadelphia

Over the past four and a half decades, McCann has worked on projects that have helped shape Philadelphia. She contributed to the development of the new Pennsylvania Convention Center and worked on impact studies and analysis. She worked on projects in University City, Market East, and Penn’s Landing, including the Great Plaza. She’s worked on the Schuylkill River Trail since she started at PIDC, and she worked on the original development plans that created the Gallery on East Market, as well as its redevelopment when it became known as the Fashion District Philadelphia.

12th & Market streets

9th & Market streets

She also worked on projects related to industrial parks, including PIDC’s Byberry Industrial Park. The project began in the 1980s and has evolved over more than four decades, generating thousands of living-wage jobs for Philadelphians and supporting long-term economic growth in Northeast Philadelphia.

And then there was the Navy Yard. Maryann was there when PIDC took over the Navy Yard under Mayor Rendell, helping market the property as it embarked on a new chapter. Today, the Navy Yard is home to more than 150 companies and 16,500 employees. For McCann, seeing its transformation over the years is a particularly meaningful reminder of how much Philadelphia can change. After 45 years at PIDC, she has had a front-row seat to many of the city’s biggest projects and takes pride in knowing she played a part in helping move them forward.

Building a Career Through Learning

Throughout her tenure, McCann has worked alongside countless people who have shaped her career.

Paul Deegan was instrumental in her career, giving her the opportunity to move into GIS and having confidence in her abilities. Henry Herling, former Commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, taught her about zoning, while Tony Palimore helped her learn CAD and the zoning code.

And her current supervisor Tom Dalfo, SVP of Real Estate Services, has relied on her for almost 25 years.

Those relationships gave McCann opportunities to keep learning and growing. But she also embraced every opportunity to expand her skills herself. She taught herself how to write press releases and take on marketing responsibilities. She learned new technology as it emerged. And when she moved into GIS, she learned it on the job.

Her career is a reminder that sometimes the most valuable skill isn’t knowing everything when you start. It’s being willing to learn what comes next.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

PIDC today looks very different from the organization McCann joined in 1981.

The Marketing team has grown significantly, and the organization has become much more diverse. Technology has also changed nearly every aspect of the workplace. McCann remembers when an operator connected calls to staff members and the phone was the primary way people communicated. She has watched computers, email and digital mapping reshape how people work.

But one thing hasn’t changed: PIDC’s mission.

After 45 years, McCann still sees PIDC as a place where people can make a meaningful impact on Philadelphia. She takes pride in the work she does and in serving her city. Over the years, PIDC has become more than a workplace. For her, it’s a second family.

For someone starting at PIDC today, McCann’s advice is simple: If you love the organization and the work, there is a place for you here. She also encourages people to stay grounded throughout a long career. Not everything will go as planned, and circumstances will change, but it’s important not to let the difficult moments get to you. After 45 years, she has certainly seen plenty of change firsthand.

As PIDC and the city continue to evolve, McCann hopes the next generation of employees finds the same sense of purpose, connection, and belonging that she has experienced throughout her career. After 45 years, that positive experience is something she hopes others will have the opportunity to share.

And despite all the changes over the decades, some things have stayed the same. McCann still arrives at the office early, usually around 6:30 a.m., ready to get to work. And, of course, she still has the best view in the office.

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