Barbara VanKirk

As number six of 13 children, Barbara knows how to stand out and get things done. She was a non-traditional college student earning her degree at night while working full-time. She earned her B.S. in Computer Science from Point Park College in Pittsburgh, and has been involved in the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh.

In 1994, Barbara founded IQ Inc. in her Murrysville home when her two children were young. The company provides creative software engineering solutions and consulting services to a myriad of clients, plus staff augmentation, contract-to-hire, and direct placements. And today, due to her hard work and dedication, IQ has grown to nearly 50 employees, necessitating an office move to Monroeville to double the company’s space.

For the past 23 years, Barbara has developed a rewarding, fun, collaborative, and flexible work environment while providing challenging projects and countless opportunities for her employees’ professional and personal growth. Unlike other firms, IQ invests in employee development and leadership training. Further, IQ’s culture to better people and their communities is evident in its mission statement.

Barbara VanKirk’s success has not gone unrecognized. In 2017, she was a finalist in the Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur Of The Year® award for Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Barbara was also awarded Point Park University’s Distinguished Alumni Professional Achievement for 2010, Seton Hill University’s 2009 E-Magnify ATHENA® Award, and 2009 Friend of the Family by the Parental Stress Center of Pittsburgh. She was selected as one of “Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business” by the governor in 2003 and in 2008 as an Enterprising Women of the Year Award winner. In 2007, Barbara received the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce ROC’s (Recognizing Organizations and Companies that Shine in our Community) Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

In 2017, IQ Inc. received the Fastest Growing Companies award, representing the Pittsburgh Business Times’ ranking of the area’s fastest-growing, privately held companies. IQ was honored as The Western Pennsylvania Woman-Owned Business of the Year in 2011. The company received the 2009 Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award (small business

category) by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals and the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh.

Barbara served on the executive committee of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and the Murrysville Personnel Board. She is a member of Point Park University Dean’s Advisory Council for the School of Business, the Forbes Health Foundation Board of Directors of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital Forbes Regional Campus, and is a founding member of the United Way Women’s Leadership Council (Westmoreland County). She is an active member of the Women’s Presidents’ Organization, Pittsburgh Technology Council, and the Society of Women Engineers. Barbara has most recently been appointed to the Westmoreland County Forum for Workforce Development as a Chair on the Internships, Externships and Apprenticeships Task Force.

Barbara resides in Murrysville with her husband, John.