When Joe Gette ’94 walks into PPG’s Pittsburgh headquarters, he carries with him a quiet confidence, the kind that was forged years ago in the classrooms and on the basketball and tennis courts of Allegheny College.
The Girard, Pennsylvania native never imagined that his liberal arts education would someday guide him through global mergers, boardrooms, and billion-dollar strategy sessions. But that’s exactly how it played out.
I loved that Allegheny let you explore before choosing a major,” Gette says. “That liberal arts mindset stayed with me. It gave me the confidence to keep trying new things until I found something I really loved.
Gette graduated with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish a combination that, in hindsight, was perfect training for a global career.
After earning his law degree, he joined K&L Gates in Pittsburgh, eager to make his mark as a litigator. “I thought I wanted to be in court convincing a jury my client should win,” he recalls with a laugh. “Then I saw what litigation was really like, endless discovery battles and document production, and realized I couldn’t do that forever.”
So he pivoted. The firm let him switch to mergers and acquisitions, and suddenly everything clicked. “With M&A, both clients want the deal to happen,” he says. “It’s more collaborative, more strategic, it just suited my personality better.”
That insight set the course for what would become a two-decade career at PPG, one of Pittsburgh’s most storied global companies. Gette joined the company in 2005, drawn by the idea of helping to shape business strategy rather than just react to it. “It was the best decision I’ve ever made,” he says.
Fast forward to today. Gette serves as vice president, deputy general counsel and secretary, overseeing corporate and contract law across the Americas and supporting PPG’s board of directors. In early 2026, he’ll step into a new role as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, responsible for all global law, compliance, government affairs, and corporate communications.
“Simply stated, I’ll be responsible for many more people, departments, and regions,” he says. “But the mindset doesn’t change; you stay curious, keep solving problems, and support the business the best you can.”
That creative, problem-solving approach, he says, traces straight back to Meadville. Allegheny’s emphasis on writing and critical thinking, sharpened through his Senior Comprehensive Project, still gives him an edge. “The Senior Comp process taught me how to write clearly and persuasively,” he says. “That’s a competitive advantage anywhere you work.”
Even amid board meetings and international travel, Gette’s Allegheny circle remains strong. He recently caught up with his college roommate, Kevin Rauch ‘94, over dinner in Hershey. A trip to Stockholm included a meal with Mike Lenahan ‘94 and Kristi Evans Lenahan ‘95, and he still runs into Michelle Puig-Antich Jegasothy ‘94, Dave Hornyak ‘95, and Mike Kuder ‘97 around Pittsburgh, Gette says.
His advice for current Gators dreaming big, whether it’s in law, business, or anything else, is simple: be confident.
Allegheny gives you all the tools you need,” Gette says. “If you can write well, think creatively, and solve problems, you’ll be ready for whatever comes next.
From his days playing basketball and tennis for the Gators to the global headquarters of PPG, Gette’s story is proof that an Allegheny education doesn’t just open doors, it helps you walk through them with purpose.
