Al Taubenberger

Tenure at Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce

Al Taubenberger was chosen to head the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in 1991. At the time, membership rarely exceeded 200. During his tenure, membership has grown to over 400. He also has attempted to bring greater attention to the Northeast, personally testifying in front of Philadelphia City Council, personally introducing to Northeast Philadelphians governors and United States Senators as well as Philadelphia Mayors Ed Rendell, John F. Street and Michael Nutter.

In 2005, Helicopter manufacturer Augusta Westland considered a move out of the city. Taubenberger, along with others in state and local government, pushed for the plant to remain in Philadelphia. Agusta currently employs 600 employees adjacent to the Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

Taubenberger has promoted regular networking meetings such as business card exchanges and signature annual events like a Golf Outing, Accolades Awards Celebration, and the Business is Blooming Business Expo. The Chamber of Commerce today has a regular newsletter, which contains a schedule of events and occasions to meet city leaders, including Archipbishop Charles J. Chaput, Governor Tom Corbett, Mayor Michael Nutter. Taubenberger also revived the tradition of the GNPCC Golf Outing in Northeast Philadelphia.

Political career

After graduating from Penn State University, his first job was grounds supervisor at Friends Hospital. He later held staff jobs for Republican Congressman Charles F. Dougherty in the early 1980s and later for two City Council members, Democrat Joan Krajewski and Republican Jack Kelly. In 1979, Taubenberger joined the district offices for Congressman Charles F. Dougherty. Within a year, Charlie had promoted him to the Director of Constituent Relations, where Taubenberger supervised 3 offices and 12 people. Following his time with Dougherty’s office, he joined the Mid-Atlantic Trade Adjustment Assistance Center which was a program of the United States Department of Commerce. The program was designed to help American companies which were adversely affected by foreign import competition. Under Councilwoman Joan Krajewski,he was the Administrator Secretary for City Council’s Economic Development Committee. In addition, Taubenberger served as the Business Liaison for Councilwoman Krajewski’s office.

Before his long tenure with the GNPCC (see below), Taubenberger was Councilman Jack Kelly’s chief-of-staff, but also had a dual title as the administrator of the Philadelphia City Council Republican Caucus.

In 2002 and 2004 Taubenberger ran for Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district. Both times, he was defeated in the primary election by Melissa Brown.

In 2007, Taubenberger ran for mayor of Philadelphia. Philadelphia Magazine described him as relatable and neighborly.." The Philadelphia Inquirer on Election Day wrote "Even though he campaigned against a Democrat who was pronounced the "presumptive mayor" months ago, Republican Al Taubenberger did not give up until the end of the night. From morning into night, he crisscrossed the city, visiting polling places to press the flesh and ask people for their votes." Taubenberger was defeated by the largest margin in Mayoral history - losing 82.52% to 17.07%. Mayor Nutter appointed Taubenberger to the newly formed bipartisan Philadelphia Jobs Commission.

In 2011, Taubenberger ran for an at-large seat on City Council. In the general election, Taubenberger finished narrowly behind David Oh losing by 203 votes for the final at-large City Council seat. Taubenberger earned 6,606 more votes than Oh in Northeast Philadelphia's 14 wards but Oh made up the deficit in North Philadelphia and West Philadelphia.

In 2012, Taubenberger ran for PA Representative and was defeated by a margin of 67.87% to 32.09% to the incumbent Kevin J. Boyle.

In 2015, Taubenberger ran for an at-large seat on City Council. The city council has seven at-large seats, two of which are designated for Republicans. He faced a field of five candidates, which included incumbents Dennis M. O'Brien and David Oh. Taubenberger received endorsements from politicians and organizations, including the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 22, and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. For his many years of service for the City of Philadelphia, he had the Tauben-Burger, a limited specialty sandwich, to promote his candidacy at The Dining Car. With nearly 99 percent of the ballots counted, Oh and Taubenberger were declared the winners of the two seats.

Personal life

Taubenberger is a child of German parents who immigrated from Germany in the 1930s. Taubenberger was raised in Northeast Philadelphia in the Burholme neighborhood. He has been married twice and has 4 children. His children, Matthew, Elisabeth, and Sarah were conceived in his first marriage to his ex-wife Barbara Muller. He currently resides in the Fox Chase, Philadelphia neighborhood with his second wife Joanne Brenner Taubenberger and their son William where they are parishioners of Saint Cecilia Parish. Taubenberger is a cousin to world-renowned virologist Jeffery Taubenberger, of Washington, D.C., is Chief of the Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and National Institutes of Health.