Chris Allison

Chris Allison is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Business and Economics at Allegheny College. He serves as the Entrepreneur in Residence and Co-Director of the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics. Since 2007, he has taught courses such as Econ 010 – Financial Literacy, Econ 280 – Economics of Entrepreneurship I, Econ 281 – Social Entrepreneurship & Nonprofit Management, and Econ 011 – Business Literacy. At Allegheny College, he oversees co-curricular programs like The Lunchtime Learning Series, The Zingale Big Idea Competition, and the CBE Financial Literacy Challenge, while also providing student job-search counseling and advising the college’s admissions and career counseling departments.

Allison is a tech-company founder and former CEO of Tollgrade Communications, Inc., which he co-founded in the early 1990s. During his tenure, the company achieved significant financial success, reaching a $2 billion market value by 2000. He managed Tollgrade’s IPO and maintained strong investor relations, with the company consistently meeting or exceeding earnings estimates in 40 of 41 quarters.

Awards & Recognition:
• Doctorate of Public Service honoris causa, Clarion University (2012)
• Entrepreneur of the Year, Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association (2002)
• Entrepreneur of the Year, Ernst and Young (2005)
• CEO Communicator of the Year, Public Relations Society of America (2001)
• Golden Quill Award, Pittsburgh Press Club (1983)

Allison is also an accomplished author and columnist, contributing to publications like Pittsburgh Quarterly, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Erie Daily Times, and The Journal of Liberal Arts. He authored two books: You’ll Manage: Lessons Learned from a Former CEO (2013) and Snowflakes and Other Stories (2015).